The Story
by Tigger2theTenth
Summary: This is the story of when Pony reads his book to the gang. There is a twist in it on what happens and it is told all from Ponyboy's point of view so please read and comment. I bet you will love it. :) Stay Gold
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS, but love them all the same; S.E. Hinton DOES own them though**

**Since I love them All Johnny and Dally live! yay! Also this is set AFTER the book.**

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Chapter 1: The Beginning

**(Ponyboy POV)**

As I was walking home from school with my best buddy Johnny Cade, I sensed that someone was following us. I stopped in my tracks and looked around only to find that it was none other than Two-Bit Matthews. As he approached I noticed he had a strange expression on his face and it looked like one that Dally would wear. I could tell Johnny noticed it to because he went white in the face. When he finally reached us I was sweating from being so nervous. I was about to ask him something when he almost screamed "I am so freakin mad at Steve!" Johnny and I looked at each other in shock. At the same time we asked "Why?" "Well you see I walked up to the DX station where he was workin' and I saw him flirtin' with this hot blonde chick and when I got there she looked at me and smiled and then went back and talked to Steve. Then when she was leaving she kissed him. I mean she FREAKIN' KISSED HIM! And I am supposed to have dibs on all blondies that any greaser may see." He said this all in one breathe. I stared at him in shock wondering if I will ever in a million years act like him. I thought for a second then thought no, never. We started to walk towards my house in complete silence.

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**(Ponyboy POV still)**

Later that night when I was reading a book for english, while the rest of the gang was either playing cards at the table or watching Mickey Mouse on the television. I got the feeling that someone was staring at me. I look up and there Johnny was staring me down as if saying that I NEED to tell everyone my secret. My secret is that my theme paper for english class was getting published as a book. I all but screamed at Johnny saying "No Johnny, this is for me and you to know and no one else! So just drop it now!" Johnny screamed back "Ponyboy, everyone will find out eventually! Tell them already!" Everyone in the gang just stared at us with different expressions on their faces. Soda, my second oldest brother, and Darry, my oldest brother, both had a curious expression; Two-Bit and Steve both looked kind of afraid of me and Johnny, because we never fight with each other. Dally looked furious at us or me, Johnny was like his pet and no one is allowed to yell at him, and that scared me to death almost. I was furious at Johnny though so I screamed at him "JOHNNY SHUT UP, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK I NEED TO DO! THAT IS MY JOB AND I DON'T NEED TO TELL THEM ANYTHING!" With that I stormed out of the house and ran towards the abandon lot. When I got to the lot I sat down by a tree and tried to calm myself down. I knew I shouldn't have yelled at Johnny but I don't want to tell the gang about the book.

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**Back at the House (Johnny POV)**

I just stood there in shock staring at the spot that Ponyboy had been with my mouth open in a gap. The next second the entire gang was screaming at me wanting to know what that was about. I didn't even move or react I just stood there. After a few minutes I sat down on the couch with a blank stare on my face, I didn't think that his story meant that much to him. I thought he was proud of it and wanted to show it to people. Then I started to cry, and not like a small simple cry but, full out bawl like a baby cry. The rest of the gang froze and shut up just watching me making sure that I was okay. Once I calmed down, I looked at the gang and asked "Do you wanna know what was up with Ponyboy?" They all nodded their heads and opened their mouths to start asking questions, but I cut them off by saying "You can ask me a question one at a time. I don't care who starts but not all at once, okay?" They nodded again. Everyone looked around and decided that Darry should go first because he was technically responsible for Ponyboy. He asked "What isn't Ponyboy telling us? Is it about school or a girl or something? And also why do you know and Soda and I don't?" I took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye and I saw how hurt he looked, I knew I had to tell him the truth. I sighed and told him the truth "The reason I know what it is, is because well, I was with him when he found out. He only found out today at school so that is why I know. It is not about a girl at all, it's about one of his classes. It's english class by the way and what it is, is that theme paper that he had to write in order to pass for the year." When I was done I looked at the entire gang and watched them take in the news. Next Soda asked "Why didn't Pony want to tell us? I mean Darry and I are his brothers." Soda looked really hurt when he asked this. I looked at the floor and then looked up at him and said "He didn't want you to know because he is scared that you guys or anyone will pick on him." Soda nodded then sat back down at the table. The next question was one I wasn't prepared to answer at all. It came from Steve, he said "Can we read it?" I stared at not knowing how to answer his question.

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**At the Lot (Ponyboy POV)**

I sat in the lot crying for what had felt like hours, when actually it had only been about ten minutes. It was a pretty nice night out and I was enjoying all the warm, fresh air. I still felt really bad about screaming at Johnny, but the truth of the matter is that I am afraid to tell them because of how they will react to what I wrote about. I can picture their reactions so perfectly it's like they already knew. Darry would be well yelling at me to use my head; Soda would be freaking out about everything that happened to me; Two-Bit would be making to many rude jokes about it; Steve well would say that I am a stupid kid and should pay attention more; Dally would be well Dally. There was no other way to describe him than mean, rude, and all around annoying. Plus he already knew parts of it so, it would bore him to death. I wiped some tears from my eyes and stood up. As I started to walk home I hoped that no one was freaking out about Johnny and my fight.

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**Curtis House (Ponyboy POV)**

When I walked into the house I noticed my book or paper lying on the coffee table. I froze where I was and looked around at everyone. All I could think was '_Had they read it yet? Was it insulting to them? Why would they do this to me?_ I cleared my throat and asked them all "Why is this here?" They all looked at me before Johnny spoke up saying "Pony, they know about it because well they wanted to know what the yelling was all about. I din't bring it out though Steve, Dally, and Darry did." I processed what he just told me and nadded at him almost as if saying 'Okay' I sighed at walked into the kitchen for a pepsi and some chocolate cake. When I walked back into the living room I sighed and looked at them all and asked "Do you want me to read it then?" With that everyone screamed "Yes!" I looked at them, and with that sighed and grabbed the book off the table and sat on the couch next to Two-Bit and Soda. I really wished that they had said 'no' instead of 'yes'.

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**So was it good? bad? okay? terrible? This is my first story so don't judge. But please comment i beg you to comment. The more comments the faster i will update this story. The lives of one of our beloved outsiders is resting on this (it's Sodapop just fyi) :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay here is the first chapter of the book. i do not own the beloved outsiders though i really wish i did no they belong to S.E. Hinton. Also the reason Johnny is out of character is because of something that I am going to change at the end of the book. **

_**Bold**** Italics=Book**  
Italics=Gang_

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**Chapter 2: Reading chapter 1 (Ponyboy POV)**

I took a deep breath and read "chapter 1". I was about to start reading when I paused to say something, I said "and yes this has about 12 chapters, okay. And guys please try to not make a lot of comments. I want to finish this as fast as I can." They all nodded at me. I took a deep breath slowly and started the book.

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**(Ponyboy POV)**

_**When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home. I was wishing I looked like Paul** **Newman**_

_"Why do you want to look like Paul Newman Pony? asked Two-Bit. I completely ignored him and kept on reading._

_**-he looks tough and I don't-but I guess my own looks aren't so bad. I have light-brown, almost-red hair and greenish-grey eyes. I wish they were more grey, because I hate most guys that have green eyes,**_

_Dally asked "Hey kid, who do you know with green eyes?  
I replied quickly "Tim Shepard." Then I continued with the book. _

_** but I have to be content with what I have. My hairiest longer than a lot of boys wear theirs, squared off in the back and long at the front and sides, but I am a greaser and most of my neighborhood rarely bothers to get a hair it. Besides, I look better with long hair.**_

_"Yeah you do look better with long hair Pony. It would be weird if you had really short hair." said Johnny quietly._

_**I had a long walk home and no company, but I usually lone it anyway, for no reason except that I like to watch movies undisturbed so I can really get into them and live them with the actors. When I see a movie with someone it's kind of uncomfortable, like having someone read your book over your shoulder. I'm different that way.**_

_"And you like being different from us now don't you Ponyboy." said Steve as sarcastically as he could.  
I simply replied "Actually for your information Steve, I do enjoy being different from you guys."_

_** I mean my second-oldest brother, Soda, who is sixteen-going-on-seventeen, never cracks a book at all,**_

_"Well books are extremely boring, and I would fall asleep reading them." Soda says as if he is defending himself.  
I simply say "It's fine Soda. I understand." I continue reading the story._

_** and my oldest brother Darrel, who we call Darry, works too long and hard to be interested in a story or drawing a picture,**_

_"Sorry Pony, but you're right." Darry says sadly. I ignore him and just keep reading._

_** so I'm not like them. And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do. For a while there, I thought I was the only person in the world that did. So I loned it.**_

_Johnny looked at me smugly and said "But you aren't, are you Pony?" I simply glare at him, but smile all the same. _

**_Soda tries to understand, at least, which is more than Darry does. But then, Soda is different from anybody; he understands everything, almost. Like he's never hollering at me the way Darry is, or treating me as if I was six instead of fourteen. I love Soda more than I have loved anyone, even Mom and Dad. He's always happy-go-lucky and grinning, while Darry's hard and firm and rarely grins at all. But then, Darry's gone through a lot in his twenty years, grown up too fast. Sodapop'll never grow up at all. I don't know which way 's the best. I'll find out one of these days._**

_The entire gang just sat there with mixed expressions on their faces. Soda looked happy with a trace of sadness in his eyes. Darry looked sad but he also had an expression that kind of said that he already knew what was written. Johnny and Dally were looking at me, Soda, and Darry wondering if what I had just read was true or not. Steve looked angry at me as well as Two-Bit. I reassured everyone by saying "Everyone, that was all back before everything that had happened to me and Johnny. It isn't all completely true anymore. I mean parts are true, but not all of it is."  
"Ponyboy what parts are true?" asked Two-Bit  
"Two-Bit, that is for only me to know. Okay guys." I simply replied. He nodded as did the rest of the gang. I continued to read to book._

_**Anyway, I went on walking home, thinking about the movie, and then suddenly wishing I had some company.**  
_

_"You could of called someone to walk with you, stupid kid." said Steve, while I glared at him._

**_Greasers can't walk alone too much or they'll get jumped, or someone will come by and scream "GREASER!" at them, which doesn't make you feel too hot, if you know what I mean._**

_"We certainly do Pony." said Johnny, while the rest of the gang agreed silently. _

**_We get jumped by the Socs. I'm not sure how you spell it, but it's an abbreviation for the socials, the jet set, the West-side rich kids. It's like the term "greaser, which is used to class all us boys on the East Side._**

_"Really Pony, you care if you spell something wrong. It's probably right, but really." said Dally with a hint of annoyance in his voice  
"Well I'm sorry Dally if I want to be right about this stuff. So lay off" I replied back really annoyed.  
"Okay Pony and Dally, cool it. Pony just continue the book." said Darry with authority showing._

**_We're poorer than the Socs and the middle class. I reckon we're wilder, too. Not like the Socs, who jump greasers and wreck houses and throw beer blasts for kicks, and get editorials in the paper for being a public disgrace one day and an asset to society the next._**

_Steve, Soda, Two-Bit, and Dally all said "Oh yeah, we are so much more wilder than them. And proud to be it, too." at the same time, with a stupid grin on their faces. Darry, Johnny, and I just stared at them, wondering why we are friends with them._

**_Greasers are almost like hoods; we steal things and drive old souped-up cars and hold up gas stations and have a gang fight once in a while._**

_Dally stopped me by saying "Pony, are you sure that we should be included in that. I mean being hoods. Yeah Two-Bit and I steal, and Soda and Steve work at a gas station, and yes we drive awful cars, but we don't have gang fights. We have a rumble and that's completely different. You must be talking about the Sheppard's gang being hoods." I was thinking the entire time and ended up shrugging and continuing to read my story. _

**_I don't mean I do those things like that. Darry would kill me if I got into trouble with the police._**

_"Yes I would Ponyboy. And you too, Soda." Darry said._

**_Since Mom and Dad were killed in an auto wreck, the three of us got to stay together as long as we behave. So Soda and I stay out of trouble as much as we can, and we're careful not to get caught if we can't._**

_"What trouble do the two of you cause, Pony and Soda? said Steve jokingly, while Soda laughed while playfully hitting him in the head._

**_I only mean that most greasers do things like that, just like we wear our hair long and dress in blue jeans and t-shirts, or leave our shirttails out and wear leather jackets and tennis shoes or boots. I'm not saying either Socs or greasers are better; that's just the way things are._**

_"No you just said one was wilder than the other, or that one gets editorials." said Two-Bit seriously.  
"Oh yeah can you guys wait until I finish this next paragraph to make a comment. I want to finish this quickly." I said to the gang. I got six nods in response, with various levels of happiness. I smiled and continued._

**_I could have waited to go to the movies until Darry or Soda got off of work. They would have gone with me, or driven me there, or walked along, although Soda just can't sit still long enough to enjoy a movie and they bore Darry to death. Darry thinks his life is enough without inspecting other people's. Or I could have gotten one of the gang to come along, one of the four boys Darry and Soda and I have grown up with and consider family. We're almost as close as brothers; when you grow up in a tight-knit neighborhood like ours you get to know each other real well. If I had thought about it, I could have called Darry and he would have come by on his way home and picked me up, or Two-Bit Mathews-one of our gang-would have come to get me in his car if i had asked him, but sometimes I just don't use my head. it drives my brother Darry nuts when I do stuff like that, 'cause I'm supposed to be smart; I make good grades and have a high IQ and everything, but I don't use my head. Besides, I like walking._**

_I took a deep breathe and then said "I will ask you one at a time for a comment so you all don't just blurt anything out at once. Get it, got it, good. Johnny, how about you first."  
Johnny sighed and said "Pony, you should have brought me, I would have loved to get away from my folks and see a movie with my best friend." He smiled after he said this.  
I smiled back and said "Yeah Johnny I should have asked you to come. Anyway, Dally?"  
Dally smiled and said "Use your head more kid."  
I laughed and then said "Two-Bit, how about you."  
He started to laugh and say "You are so stupid Ponyboy." at the same time. I glared at him.  
"Well Pony I will just say that you will probably never learn to use your head and it will show later. You never think before you act." said Steve, which I hated him saying because he is probably right.  
Soda said sadly "Even though I can't sit still, I still would have gone with you. Mostly because you're my baby brother and I wasn't working that day." I blushed having forgotten that he and Darry had the day of that day.  
I then asked Darry what he thought, he said "Pony, learn to use your head and why do you write about me and Soda like we are a character. I mean you go into so much detail about our personality. It's different."  
"Okay that is all I will read tonight 'cause it is midnight and I'm exhausted. So good night and I'm taking this with me so none of you read anymore of it." I said as I left the room, book and hand, smiling about actually reading this to them. I liked hearing what they had to say about it._

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_**So... love it? hate it? I'm sorry that it is only part of chapter 1 but I am already halfway through the next part of the chapter so it should be up quickly. Please comment so I know what you think. Thank you! Luv you my readers. :)** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so here is the last part of Chapter 1! The Outsiders still belongs to S.E. Hinton :) So lets begin... (sorry it took a while to upload, I have had so much school stuff getting in the way and with finals coming up I may not be able to upload a lot but I will do my best so on with the story...)**

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**Chapter 3 (Ponyboy POV)**

The next morning I woke up to Sodapop jumping up and down on our bed. I sleepily asked him "Soda what do you want?"  
"What do I want, well I want you to continue reading your story. As does the rest of the gang. They are already up and have had breakfast and now are waiting in the living room for you to read." He replied way to happily for my taste this morning. I groaned but got out of bed and got dressed. As I made my way to the kitchen for breakfast, I indeed did see Dally, Steve, Two-Bit, Johnny, Darry, and Soda sitting in the living room. I laughed silently to myself and grabbed a slice of chocolate cake before sitting on the couch next to Johnny. I shook my head realizing that this would be a long day. I started to read chapter 1.

_**I about decided I didn't like it so much, though, when I spotted that red Corvair trailing me. I was almost to blocks from home then, so I started walking a little faster. I had never been jumped, but I had seen Johnny after four Socs got a hold of him, and it wasn't pretty. Johnny was scared of his own shadow after that. Johnny was sixteen then.**_

_"Well Ponyboy, it isn't a fun experience to have, is it. Especially if you end up like i did." said Johnny matter-of-factly.  
"No Johnny it isn't." I replied shivering remembering 'that night'. The rest of the gang remained silent which was highly unusual for them._

**_I knew it wasn't any use though-the fast walking, I mean-even before the Corvair pulled up beside me and five Socs got out. I got pretty scared-I'm kinda small for fourteen and those guys were bigger than me. I automatically hitched my thumbs in my jeans and slouched, wondering if I could get away if I made a break for it._**

_"Good luck with that." said Steve almost to himself. I glared at him but kept on reading _

**_I was sweating somewhere fierce, although I was cold. I could feel my palms getting clammy and the perspiration running down my back. I get like that when I'm real scared. I glanced around for a pop bottle or a stick or something-Steve Randle, Soda's best buddy, had once held off four guys with a busted pop bottle-_**

_"Go Stevie boy. Why didn't you teach Pony that, huh?" said Soda happily. i shushed him then continued._

_**but there was nothing. So I stood like a bump on a log while they surrounded me. I don't use my head. They walked around slowly, silently, smiling. 'Hey, grease,' one said in an over-friendly voice. 'We're gonna do you a favor, greaser. We're gonna cut all that long greasy hair off.' He had on a madras shirt. I can still see it. Blue madras.**_

_"Woah." the gang said in unison actually looking frightened by what I had just read out to them._

**_One of them laughed, then cussed me out in a low voice. I couldn't think of anything to say. 'Need a haircut, greaser?' The medium sized blond pulled a knife out of his back pocket and flipped the blade open. I finally thought of something to say. 'No.'_**

_Dally let out a half-laugh and said "Nice comeback kid." Darry, Soda, and Johnny all whacked him on the head. The only person Dally looked mad at was Soda._

**_I was backing up, away from that knife. Of course I backed right into one of them. They had me down in a second. They had my arms and legs pinned down and one of them was on my chest with his knees on my elbows, and if you don't think that hurts, you're crazy. I could smell English Leather shaving lotion and stale tobacco, and I wondered foolishly if I would suffocate before they did anything. I was scared so bad I was wishing I would._**

_"Don't wish to die Pony." Johnny actually looked scared at that, probably because I never talked about killing myself. _

**_A blade was held against my throat. 'How'd you like that haircut to begin just below the chin?' It occurred to me then that they could kill me._**

_"Now he gets it." said Two-Bit as if it was completely obvious, which it was._

**_I went wild. I started screaming for Soda, Darry, anyone. Someone put his hand over my mouth, and I bit it as hard as I could, tasting the blood running through my teeth. One of them kept saying 'Shut him up, for Pete's sake, shut him up!' Then there were shouts and pounding of feet, and the Socs jumped up and left me lying there, gasping. I lay wondering what in the world was happening-people were jumping over me and running by me and I was too dazed to figure it out. Then someone had me under the armpits and was hauling me to my feet. It was Darry. 'Are you alright, Ponyboy?' He was shaking me and I wished he'd stop. I was dizzy enough anyway. I could tell it was Darry though-partly because of the voice and partly because Darry's always rough with me without meaning to be._**

_"Don't be so rough with Pony, Dar." said Soda completely serious. Darry and I smiled at that._

**_Darry is six-feet-two, and broad-shouldered and muscular. He has dark-brown hair that kicks out in the front and a slight cowlick in the back-just like dad's-but Darry's eyes are his own._**

_"Huh, never realized that. I always thought that they looked exactly alike." said Soda  
I replied "They basically do just not their eyes." I continued to read._

**_He's got eyes that are like two-pieces of pale blue-green ice. They've got a determined set to them, like the rest of him._**

_"Pretty scary sounding." Two-Bit said then after examining Darry's eyes he said "And accurately described." I smiled but kept on reading._

**_Sodapop came loping back. By then I had figured out that all the noise was the gang coming to rescue me. He dropped down beside me, examining my head. 'You got cut up a little, huh, Ponyboy?' I only looked at him blankly. 'I did?' HeHe pulled out a handkerchief, wet the end of it with his tongue, and pressed it gently against the side of my head. "You're bleedin' like a stuck pig."  
"I am?"_**

_"A little slow huh Pony?" said Johnny. I glared at him but it only lasted a second until I started laughing as well as the rest of the gang. After we all calmed down I continued reading the book. _

**_"Look!" He showed me the handkerchief, reddened as if by magic. "Did they pull a blade on you?"  
I remembered the voice: "Need a haircut, greaser?" The blade must have slipped while he was trying to shut me up. "Yeah."_**

_I shivered at the memory of that day, but kept on reading before Soda said something to me. Or even one of the other members of the gang could say something, they all had that look on their faces._

**_Soda is handsomer than anyone else I know. Not like Darry- Soda's movie-star kind of handsome, the kind that people stop on the street to watch go by. He's not as tall as Darry, and he's a little slimmer, but he has a finely drawn, sensitive face that somehow manages to be reckless and thoughtful at the same time. He's got dark-gold hair that he combs back- long and silky and straight- and in the summer the sun bleaches it to a shining wheat gold. His eyes are dark brown- lively, dancing, recklessly laughing eyes that can be gentle and sympathetic one moment and blazing with anger the next. He has Dad's eyes, but Soda is one of a kind. He can get drunk in a drag race or dancing without ever getting near alcohol. In our neighborhood it's rare to find a kid who doesn't drink once in a while. But Soda never touches a drop- he doesn't need to. He gets drunk on just plain living. And he understands everybody._**

_Two-bit looked closely at Soda for a minute before Soda nearly screamed "Get away from me Two-bit. But what are you doing anyway?"  
Two-bit replied "Well I'm looking at how accurate Pony's description of you is. It is extremely accurate by the way." I rolled my eyes and continued._

**_He looked at me more closely. I looked away hurriedly, because, if you want to know the truth, I was starting to bawl. I knew I was as white as I felt and I was shaking like a leaf._**

_With that Soda got up from his spot and hugged me so hard I felt like I was about to choke. He reluctantly let go of me and let me continue reading._

**_Soda just put his hand on my shoulder. "Easy, Ponyboy. They ain't gonna hurt you no more."  
"I know," I said, but the ground began to blur and I felt hot tears running down my cheeks. I brushed them away impatiently. "I'm just a little spooked, that's all." I drew a quivering breath and quit crying. You just don't cry in front of Darry. Not unless you're hurt like Johnny had been that day we found him in the vacant lot. Compared to Johnny I wasn't hurt at all._**

_"Okay Pony who said that to you? That it is not okay to cry in front of me?" Darry said angrily, but his face showed that he was extremely hurt by that thought that I had had._

**_Soda rubbed my hair. "You're an okay kid, Pony."  
I had to grin at him- Soda can make you grin no matter what. I guess it's because he's always grinning so much himself. "You're crazy, Soda, out of your mind."  
Darry looked as if he'd like to knock our heads together. "You're both nuts."_**

_"And you didn't do it because..." Two-bit said as Darry, Soda, and I glared at him. On the inside I was smiling at the memory._

**_Soda merely cocked one eyebrow, a trick he'd picked up from Two-Bit. "It seems to run in this family."_**

_"Hey! That's my thing that I do. Not yours." Two-bit said defensively. The rest of us just stared at him wondering what was going through his head at that moment._

**_Darry stared at him for a second, then cracked a grin. Sodapop isn't afraid of him like everyone else and enjoys teasing him. I'd just as soon tease a full-grown grizzly; but for some reason, Darry seems to like being teased by Soda.  
Our gang had chased the Socs to their car and heaved rocks at them. They came running toward us now- four lean, hard guys. They were all as tough as nails and looked it. l had grown up with them, and they accepted me, even though I was younger, because I was Darry and Soda's kid brother and I kept my mouth shut good._**

_"Pony that ain't true. We accept you because well you actually aren't all that bad and you are our friend."  
Everyone stared open-mouthed at Steve for saying that because as far as I knew he hated me. I broke out of the trance and went back to the story._

**_Steve Randle was seventeen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls. He was tacky, smart, and Soda's best buddy since grade school. Steve's specialty was cars. He could lift a hubcap quicker and more quietly than anyone in the neighborhood, but he also knew cars upside-down and backward, and he could drive anything on wheels. He and Soda worked at the same gas station- Steve part time and Soda full time- and their station got more customers than any other in town. Whether that was because Steve was so good with cars or because Soda attracted girls like honey draws flies, I couldn't tell you. I liked Steve only because he was Soda's best friend. He didn't like me- he thought I was a tag-along and a kid; Soda always took me with them when they went places if they weren't taking girls, and that bugged Steve. It wasn't my fault; Soda always asked me; I didn't ask him. Soda doesn't think I'm a kid._**

_Steve smiled at the compliments in the paragraph but Soda got really annoyed and said "Why the hell did you treat my little brother so horribly?!"  
"I...well...I...Pony read" Steve said_

**_Two-Bit Mathews was the oldest of the gang and the wisecracker of the bunch. He was about six feet tall, stocky in build, and very proud of his long rusty-colored sideburns. He had gray eyes and a wide grin, and he couldn't stop making funny remarks to save his life. You couldn't shut up that guy; he always had to get his two-bits worth in. Hence his name. Even his teachers forgot his real name was Keith, and we hardly remembered he had one. Life was one big joke to Two-Bit. He was famous for shoplifting and his black-handled switchblade (which he couldn't have acquired without his first talent), and he was always smarting off to the cops. He really couldn't help it. Everything he said was so irresistibly funny that he just had to let the police in on it to brighten up their dull lives. (That's the way he explained it to me.) He liked fights, blondes, and for some unfathomable reason, school. He was still a junior at eighteen and a half and he never learned anything. He just went for kicks. I liked him real well because he kept us laughing at ourselves as well as at other things. He reminded me of Will Rogers- maybe it was the grin._**

_"Should I take all that as a compliment? I think I will. So thank you Ponyboy." Two-bit said happily. I just stared and didn't even bother responding to him as I was starting to get annoyed with all the interjections._

**_If I had to pick the real character of the gang, it would be Dallas Winston- Dally._**_ Dally gaped at Ponyboy._**_I__ used to like to draw his picture when he was in a dangerous mood, for then I could get his personality down in a few lines. He had an elfish face, with high cheekbones and a pointed chin, small, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. His hair was almost white it was so blond, and he didn't like haircuts, or hair oil either, so it fell over his forehead in wisps and kicked out in the back in tufts and curled behind his ears and along the nape of his neck. His eyes were blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world. Dally had spent three years on the wild side of New York and had been arrested at the age of ten. He was tougher than the rest of us- tougher, colder, meaner. The shade of difference that separates a greaser from a hood wasn't present in Dally. He was as wild as the boys in the downtown outfits, like Tim Shepard's gang._**

_"And that is why Tim and I are friends also you are kind of really observant." Dally said  
"I know I am really observant Dal so now that we have that cleared up let's continue with the story." said Ponyboy _

**_In New York, Dally blew off steam in gang fights, but here, organized gangs are rarities- there are just small bunches of friends who stick together, and the warfare is between the social classes. A rumble, when it's called, is usually born of a grudge fight, and the opponents just happen to bring their friends along. Oh, there are a few named gangs around, like the River Kings and the Tiber Street Tigers, but here in the Southwest there's no gang rivalry. So Dally, even though he could get into a good fight sometimes, had no specific thing to hate. No rival gang. Only Socs. And you can't win against them no matter how hard you try, because they've got all the breaks and even whipping them isn't going to change that fact. Maybe that was why Dallas was so bitter._**

_"That ain't the reason." Dally muttered to himself_

**_He had quite a reputation. They have a file on him down at the police station. He had been arrested, he got drunk, he rode in rodeos, lied, cheated, stole, rolled drunks, jumped small kids- he did everything. I didn't like him, but he was smart and you had to respect him._**

_"Hell yeah, you have to respect me." Dally said while we all smiled._

**_Johnny Cade was last and least. If you can picture a little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers, you'll have Johnny. He was the youngest, next to me, smaller than the rest, with a slight build. He had big black eyes in a dark tanned face; his hair was jet-black and heavily greased and combed to the side, but it was so long that it fell in shaggy bangs across his forehead. He had a nervous, suspicious look in his eyes, and that beating he got from the Socs didn't help matters. He was the gang's pet, everyone's kid brother. His father was always beating him up, and his mother ignored him, except when she was hacked off at something, and then you could hear her yelling at him clear down at our house. I think he hated that worse than getting whipped. He would have run away a million times if we hadn't been there. If it hadn't been for the gang, Johnny would never have known what love and affection are._**

_"Hey Pony, you made me sound extremely weak, but you got it head on so I guess I forgive you for making me sound weak." Johnny said. I smiled at my best friend and went back to reading the book._

**_I wiped my eyes hurriedly. "Didya catch 'em?"  
"Nup. They got away this time, the dirty..." Two-Bit went on cheerfully, calling the Socs every name he could think of or make up.  
"The kid's okay?"  
"I'm okay." I tried to think of something to say. I'm usu ally pretty quiet around people, even the gang. I changed the subject. "I didn't know you were out of the cooler yet, Dally."  
"Good behavior. Got off early." Dallas lit a cigarette and handed it to Johnny. Everyone sat down to have a smoke and relax. A smoke always lessens the tension. I had quit trembling and my color was back. The cigarette was calming me down. Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Nice-lookin' bruise you got there, kid."_**

_I interrupted myself because of some looks that were plastered on the gang's faces. I said "Okay so to clear some things up, I doubt Dally got off early for good behavior, yeah I know I am not quiet around you guys, and yes Darry a smoke does loosen the tension." With that the gang nodded and _

**_I touched my cheek gingerly. "Really?"  
Two-Bit nodded sagely. "Nice cut, too. Makes you look tough."  
Tough and tuff are two different words. Tough is the same as rough; tuff means cool, sharp- like a tuff-looking Mustang or a tuff record. In our neighborhood both are compliments.  
Steve flicked his ashes at me. "What were you doin', walkin' by your lonesome?" Leave it to good old Steve to bring up something like that.  
"I was comin' home from the movies. I didn't think..."_**

_"Really Steve, really." Said Soda_

**_"You don't ever think," Darry broke in, "not at home or anywhere when it counts. You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home, and you've always got your nose in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense? No sirree, bub. And if you did have to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade."_**

_"Yeah I probably shouldn't have said that to you. Sorry Ponyboy." Said Darry_

**_I just stared at the hole in the toe of my tennis shoe. Me and Darry just didn't dig each other. I never could please him. He would have hollered at me for carrying a blade if I had carried one. If I brought home B's, he wanted A's, and if I got A's, he wanted to make sure they stayed A's. If I was playing football, I should be in studying, and if I was reading, I should be out playing football. He never hollered at Sodapop- not even when Soda dropped out of school or got tickets for speeding. He just hollered at me._**

_"Wow I was that bad to you Ponyboy?" asked Darry  
"Yes Dar you were but not anymore I mean that was last year and you aren't that way anymore." I replied smiling at him to make him feel better which didn't work at all._

**_Soda was glaring at him. "Leave my kid brother alone, you hear? It ain't his fault he likes to go to the movies, and it ain't his fault the Socs like to jump us, and if he had been carrying a blade it would have been a good excuse to cut him to ribbons."  
Soda always takes up for me._**

_"GO TEAM SODA!" yelled Soda as loud as he could causing Darry and me to whack him in the back of the head with pillows from the couch._

**_Darry said impatiently, "When I want my kid brother to tell me what to do with my other kid brother, I'll ask you- kid brother." But he laid off me. He always does when Sodapop tells him to. Most of the time.  
"Next time get one of us to go with you, Ponyboy," Two-Bit said. "Any of us will."  
"Speakin' of movies"- Dally yawned, flipping away his cigarette butt- "I'm walkin' over to the Nightly Double tomorrow night. Anybody want to come and hunt some action?"  
Steve shook his head. "Me and Soda are pickin' up Evie and Sandy for the game."_**

_"Sandy and Evie. They are little-" Soda began furiously.  
"SODAPOP PATRICK CURTIS!" Darry screamed at him to make stop  
"Okay i agree with what Soda was gonna say but i won't say it." Steve said angrily. I sighed and started reading again after those three had calmed down enough._

**_He didn't need to look at me the way he did right then. I wasn't going to ask if I could come. I'd never tell Soda, because he really likes Steve a lot, but sometimes I can't stand Steve Randle. I mean it. Sometimes I hate him. _**_Cue glare from Soda to Steve._**_  
Darry sighed, just like I knew he would. Darry never had time to do anything anymore. "I'm working tomorrow night."  
Dally looked at the rest of us. "How about y'all? Two-Bit? Johnnycake, you and Pony wanta come?"  
"Me and Johnny'll come," I said. I knew Johnny wouldn't open his mouth unless he was forced to. "Okay, Darry?"  
"Yeah, since it ain't a school night." Darry was real good about letting me go places on the weekends. On school nights I could hardly leave the house._**

_"I will start taking more time off okay." Darry said in response to the looks he was getting from the gang, mostly me and Soda._

**_"I was plannin' on getting boozed up tomorrow night," Two-Bit said. "If I don't, I'll walk over and find y'all."  
Steve was looking at Dally's hand. His ring, which he had rolled a drunk senior to get, was back on his finger. "You break up with Sylvia again?"  
"Yeah, and this time it's for good. That little broad was two-timin' me again while I was in jail."_**

_"Sylvia is the same as Sandy and Evie." Dally said  
_

**_I thought of Sylvia and Evie and Sandy and Two-Bit's many blondes. They were the only kind of girls that would look at us, I thought. Tough, loud girls who wore too much eye makeup and giggled and swore too much. I liked Soda's girl Sandy just fine, though. Her hair was natural blond and her laugh was soft, like her china-blue eyes. She didn't have a real good home or anything and was our kind- greaser- but she was a real nice girl. Still, lots of times I wondered what other girls were like. The girls who were bright-eyed and had their dresses a decent length and acted as if they'd like to spit on us if given a chance. Some were afraid of us, and remembering Dallas Winston, I didn't blame them. But most looked at us like we were dirt- gave us the same kind of look that the Socs did when they came by in their Mustangs and Corvairs and yelled "Grease!" at us. I wondered about them. The girls, I mean... Did they cry when their boys were arrested, like Evie did when Steve got hauled in, or did they run out on them the way Sylvia did Dallas? But maybe their boys didn't get arrested or beaten up or busted up in rodeos._**

_"First thing Pony I do not only date blondes, just most of the time I do. Second why do you want to know what Socy girls are like anyway? They are all the same, rude and stuck-up." said Two-bit matter-of-factly.  
I smirked at him and said "I didn't know you felt that way about Marcia Two-bit." It took bot Dally and Darry to hold Two-bit back so he wouldn't attack me._

**_I was still thinking about it while I was doing my homework that night. I had to read Great Expectations for English, and that kid Pip, he reminded me of us- the way he felt marked lousy because he wasn't a gentleman or anything, and the way that girl kept looking down on him. That happened to me once. One time in biology I had to dissect a worm, and the razor wouldn't cut, so I used my switchblade. The minute I flicked it out- I forgot what I was doing or I would never have done it- this girl right beside me kind of gasped, and said, "They are right. You are a hood." That didn't make me feel so hot. These were a lot of Socs in that class- I get put into A classes because I'm supposed to be smart- and most of them thought it was pretty funny. I didn't, though. She was a cute girl. She looked real good in yellow._**

_"So Pony she looked good in yellow huh?" Johnny said. I rolled my eyes and laughed._

**_We deserve a lot of our trouble, I thought. Dallas deserves everything he gets, and should get worse, if you want the truth. And Two-Bit- he doesn't really want or need half the things he swipes from stores. He just thinks it's fun to swipe everything that isn't nailed down. I can understand why Sodapop and Steve get into drag races and fights so much, though- both of them have too much energy, too much feeling, with no way to blow it off._**

_I heard so many different things at once like; "I do deserve everything I get, but defiantly not worse." Dally, and "I need everything I steal it might come in handy one of these days." Two-bit, also "Too freakin' observant" Steve._

**_Darry didn't deserve to work like an old man when he was only twenty. He had been a real popular guy in school; he was captain of the football team and he had been voted Boy of the Year. But we just didn't have the money for him to go to college, even with the athletic scholarship he won. And now he didn't have time between jobs to even think about college. So he never went anywhere and never did anything anymore, except work out at gyms and go skiing with some old friends of his sometimes._**

_"How did you __remember that?" Soda and Darry asked at the same time. I shrugged but didn't respond_

**_I rubbed my cheek where it had turned purple. I had looked in the mirror, and it did make me look tough. But Darry had made me put a Band-Aid on the cut.  
I remembered how awful Johnny had looked when he got beaten up. I had just as much right to use the streets as the Socs did, and Johnny had never hurt them. Why did the Socs hate us so much? We left them alone. I nearly went to sleep over my homework trying to figure it out.  
Sodapop, who had jumped into bed by this time, yelled sleepily for me to turn off the light and get to bed. When I finished the chapter I was on, I did._**

_Soda sighed and said "I know Darry I'll let him do his homework, alright?" Soda smiled at Darry making Darry smile back._

**_Lying beside Soda, staring at the wall, I kept remem bering the faces of the Socs as they surrounded me, that blue madras shirt the blond was wearing, and I could still hear a thick voice: "Need a haircut, greaser?" I shivered.  
"You cold, Ponyboy?"  
"A little;" I lied. Soda threw one arm across my neck. He mumbled something drowsily. "Listen, kiddo, when Darry hollers at you... he don't mean nothin'. He's just got more worries than somebody his age ought to. Don't take him serious... you dig, Pony? Don't let him bug you. He's really proud of you 'cause you're so brainy. It's just because you're the baby- I mean, he loves you a lot. Savvy?"  
"Sure," I said, trying for Soda's sake to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.  
"Soda?"  
"Yeah?"  
"How come you dropped out?" I never have gotten over that. I could hardly stand it when he left school.  
" 'Cause I'm dumb. The only things I was passing anyway were auto mechanics and gym."  
"You're not dumb."  
"Yeah, I am. Shut up and I'll tell you something. Don't tell Darry, though."  
"Okay."  
"I think I'm gonna marry Sandy. After she gets out of school and I get a better job and everything. I might wait till you get out of school, though. So I can still help Darry with the bills and stuff."  
"Tuff enough. Wait till I get out, though, so you can keep Darry off my back."  
"Don't be like that, kid. I told you he don't mean half of what he says..."  
"You in love with Sandy? What's it like?"  
"Hhhmmm." He sighed happily. "It's real nice."  
In a moment his breathing was light and regular. I turned my head to look at him and in the moonlight he looked like some Greek god come to earth. I wondered how he could stand being so handsome. Then I sighed. I didn't quite get what he meant about Darry. Darry thought I was just another mouth to feed and somebody to holler at. Darry love me? I thought of those hard, pale eyes. Soda was wrong for once, I thought. Darry doesn't love anyone or anything, except maybe Soda. I didn't hardly think of him as being human. I don't care, I lied to myself, I don't care about him either. Soda's enough, and I'd have him until I got out of school. I don't care about Darry. But I was still lying and I knew it. I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe__ me._**

_I looked up at the gang in shock. i __said "We just finished the chapter and no one has said anything for a while, what's up?" Everyone was quiet.  
Soda broke the silence by saying "Ponyboy we are just in shock I guess by the fact that you remember so much and I'm sorry it hurt you that I dropped out of school, but I am dumb."  
"No you're not Soda, you just aren't book smart. You are street smart though so you aren't dumb." Darry said.  
"Yeah and I guess I should also apologize for the way I treated you I'm sorry kid." Steve said and he actually meant it too.  
"It's fine Steve. I was kind of a smart ass around you most of the time anyway." I replied and Steve smiled at me.  
"Hey Pony, what class did you have to write this for anyway?" asked Two-bit  
"Well Two-bit it was for English and what we had to do was take a true story and well change it a little bit to make it not as real." I said  
"So what did you change about it Pony?" Johnny asked excitedly.  
"I killed you and Dally at the end." I said and the silence was so deadly I was afraid of what would come next._

* * *

**OMG! I am finally done chapter 1. :) So I am ****working on chapter 2 an depending on when I can update and the amount of reviews I get for this chapter I will update faster. So R&R and Stay Gold**


	4. Chapter 4

**Srry about not updating I have finals now so I have two chapters going up today and probably not going to update until finals are over. But please review and this chapter is terrible and extremely short but please review pleaseeeee. Stay Gold!**

* * *

The gang looked at me like I had said I was about to blow up the school, or that i hated everything i liked. I sighed and went to start explaining what happened with the ending of my story.

"Okay so for my english final I was told to write and make it like half real and half fake. I didn't want to change anything in the middle because then nothing would make sense so I changed the ending to make it seem more realistic. Like Johnny your injuries from the fire shouldn't have let you live. It was a miracle that you did, so I changed it to make you die." I said.

Johnny, Darry, Soda, Steve, Two-Bit all nodded in understanding of my choice. Dally still looked angry so I knew I had to explain his death now.

"Dally I know you well enough to know that you would break if Johnny died so in the book you did. You die the way I feel you would want to go. On your own terms. Don't be mad." I said to Dally.

He nodded and I picked up the book to read the second chapter of the book. I knew I would hear more on the changes later.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 2**

**DALLY WAS WAITING for Johnny and me under the street light at the corner of Pickett and Sutton, and since we got there early, we had time to go over the drugstore in the shopping center and goof around. We bought Cokes and blew the straws at the waitress, and walked around eyeing things that were lying out in the open until the manager got wise to us and suggested we leave. He was too late, though; Dally walked out with two packages of Kools under his jacket.**

"Of course he did." Darry muttered

**Then we went across the street and down Sutton a little way to The Dingo. There are lots of drive-ins in town- the Socs go to The Way Out and to Rusty's, and the greasers go to The Dingo and to Jay's. The Dingo is a pretty rough hangout; there's always a fight going on there and once a girl got shot. We walked around talking to all the greasers and hoods we knew, leaning in car windows or hopping into the back seats, and getting in on who was running away, and who was in jail, and who was going with who, and who could whip who, and who stole what and when and why. We knew about everybody there. There was a pretty good fight while we were there between a big twenty-three-year-old greaser and a Mexican hitchhiker. We left when the switchblades came out, because the cops would be coming soon and nobody in his right mind wants to be around when the fuzz show.**

"How did you know almost everyone there? I barely know everyone in the Shepard Gang." Steve said  
"Um I don't know, we just did I guess." I replied  
"Also Pone good job you left before the cops showed." Darry said

**We crossed Sutton and cut around behind Spencer's Special, the discount house, and chased two junior-high kids across a field for a few minutes; by then it was dark enough to sneak in over the back fence of the Nightly Double drive-in movie. It was the biggest in town, and showed two movies every night, and on weekends four- you could say you were going to the Nightly Double and have time to go all over town.**  
**We all had the money to get in- it only costs a quarter if you're not in a car- but Dally hated to do things the legal way. He liked to show that he didn't care whether there was a law or not. He went around trying to break laws. We went to the rows of seats in front of the concession stand to sit down. Nobody else was there except two girls who were sitting down front. Dally eyed them coolly, then walked down the aisle and sat right behind them. I had a sick feeling that Dally was up to his usual tricks, and I was right. He started talking, loud enough for the two girls to hear. He started out bad and got worse. Dallas could talk awful dirty if he wanted to and I guess he wanted to then. I felt my ears get hot. Two-Bit or Steve or even Soda would have gone right along with him, just to see if they could embarrass the girls, but that kind of kicks just doesn't appeal to me. I sat there, struck dumb, and Johnny left hastily to get a Coke.**

"You should have gone with Johnny, Pony." Soda said. I nodded because I also did think I should have left with Johnny

**I wouldn't have felt so embarrassed if they had been greasy girls- I might even have helped old Dallas. But those two girls weren't our kind. They were tuff-looking girls- dressed sharp and really good-looking. They looked about sixteen or seventeen. One had short dark hair, and the other had long red hair. The redhead was getting mad, or scared. She sat up straight and she was chewing hard on her gum. The other one pretended not to hear Dally. Dally was getting impatient. He put his feet up on the back of the redhead's chair, winked at me, and beat his own record for saying something dirty. She turned around and gave him a cool stare.**

"Oh yeah, that'll scare Dally for sure." Two-Bit Joke

**"Take your feet off my chair and shut your trap."**  
**Boy, she was good-looking. I'd seen her before; she was a cheerleader at our school. I'd always thought she was stuck-up.**  
**Dally merely looked at her and kept his feet where they were. "Who's gonna make me?"**

Two-Bit started howling with laughter. I mean Cherry was tough and she chose to stand up to Dally, but it was just hilarious to hear about since it never happened.

**The other one fumed around and watched us. "That's the greaser that jockeys for the Slash J sometime," she said, as if we couldn't hear her.**  
**I had heard the same tone a million times: "Greaser... greaser... greaser." Oh yeah, I had heard that tone before too many times. What are they doing at a drive-in without a car? I thought, and Dallas said, "I know you two. I've seen you around rodeos."**  
**"It's a shame you can't ride bull half as good as you can talk it," the redhead said coolly and turned back around.**  
**That didn't bother Dally in the least. "You two barrel race, huh?"**

"I must admit that they are pretty good barrel racers." Dally said. The rest of us just stared at him in shock but said nothing out of fear of what Dallas would do.

**"You'd better leave us alone," the redhead said in a bit ing voice, "or I'll call the cops."**  
**"Oh, my, my"- Dally looked bored- "you've got me scared to death. You ought to see my record sometime, baby." He grinned slyly. "Guess what I've been in for?"**

"I don't think she would want to know." Johnny said while Dally glared daggers.

**"Please leave us alone," she said. "Why don't you be nice and leave us alone?"**  
**Dally grinned roguishly. "I'm never nice. Want a Coke?"**  
**She was mad by then. "I wouldn't drink it if I was starving in the desert. Get lost, hood!"**  
**Dally merely shrugged and strolled off.**

"Kind of dramatic, don't you think?" Steve said. Two-Bit seemed to agree with him because he nodded while laughing.

**The girl looked at me. I was half-scared of her. I'm half-scared of all nice girls, especially Socs. "Are you going to start in on us?"**  
**I shook my head, wide-eyed. "No."**  
**Suddenly she smiled. Gosh, she was pretty. "You don't look the type. What's your name?"**

"So Pone she was pretty, huh?" Soda said making me scowl at him. I had gotten over Cherry Valance close to a year ago.

**I wished she hadn't asked me that. I hate to tell people my name for the first time. "Ponyboy Curtis."**  
**Then I waited for the "You're kidding!" or "That's your real name?" or one of the other remarks I usually get. Ponyboy's my real name and personally I like it.**

"Well at least you like your name." Johnny said. I smiled at him because he knew exactly how I felt about my name.

**The redhead just smiled. "That's an original and lovely name."**  
**"My dad was an original person," I said. "I've got a brother named Sodapop, and it says so on his birth certificate."**  
**"My name's Sherri, but I'm called Cherry because of my hair. Cherry Valance."**  
**"I know," I said. "You're a cheerleader. We go to the same school."**  
**"You don't look old enough to be going to high school," the dark-haired girl said.**  
**"I'm not. I got put up a year in grade school."**

"Just remember Ponyboy just because you are smart doesn't mean you can be a smart-mouth." Steve said and the rest of us just laughed.

**Cherry was looking at me. "What's a nice, smart kid like you running around with trash like that for?"**  
**I felt myself stiffen. "I'm a grease, same as Dally. He's my buddy."**  
**"I'm sorry, Ponyboy," she said softly. Then she said briskly, "Your brother Sodapop, does he work at a gasoline station? A DX, I think?"**  
**"Yeah."**  
**"Man, your brother is one doll. I might have guessed you were brothers- you look alike."**  
**I grinned with pride- I don't think I look one bit like Soda, but it's not every day I hear Socs telling me they think my brother is a doll.**

"They really said I was a doll?" Soda asked  
"Yeah Soda they did." I replied smiling

**"Didn't he used to ride in rodeos? Saddle bronc?"**  
**"Yeah. Dad made him quit after he tore a ligament, though. We still hang around rodeos a lot. I've seen you two barrel race. You're good."**  
**"Thanks," Cherry said, and the other girl, who was named Marcia, said, "How come we don't see your brother at school? He's not any older than sixteen or seventeen, is he?"**  
**I winced inside. I've told you I can't stand it that Soda dropped out. "He's a dropout," I said roughly. "Dropout" made me think of some poor dumb-looking hoodlum wandering the streets breaking out street lights- it didn't fit my happy-go-lucky brother at all. It fitted Dally perfectly, but you could hardly say it about Soda.**

Dallas just shrugged

**Johnny came back then and sat down beside me. He looked around for Dally, then managed a shy "Hi" to the girls and tried to watch the movie. He was nervous, though. Johnny was always nervous around strangers. Cherry looked at him, sizing him up as she had me. Then she smiled softly, and I knew she had him sized up right.**  
**Dally came striding back with an armful of Cokes. He handed one to each of the girls and sat down beside Cherry. "This might cool you off."**  
**She gave him an incredulous look; and then she threw her Coke in his face. "That might cool you off, greaser. After you wash your mouth and learn to talk and act decent, I might cool off, too."**  
**Dally wiped the Coke off his face with his sleeve and smiled dangerously. If I had been Cherry I would have beat it out of there. I knew that smile.**

"She's in trouble." Two-Bit

**"Fiery, huh? Well, that's the way I like 'em." He started to put his arm around her, but Johnny reached over and stopped him.**  
**"Leave her alone, Dally."**  
**"Huh?" Dally was taken off guard. He stared at Johnny in disbelief. Johnny couldn't say "Boo" to a goose. Johnny gulped and got a little pale, but he said, "You heard me. Leave her alone."**

The entire gang went silent. Johnny would never do that to Dally, who was his hero.

**Dallas scowled for a second. If it had been me, or Two-Bit, or Soda or Steve, or anyone but Johnny, Dally would have flattened him without a moment's hesitation. You just didn't tell Dally Winston what to do. One time, in a dime store, a guy told him to move over at the candy counter. Dally had turned around and belted him so hard it knocked a tooth loose. A complete stranger, too. But Johnny was the gang's pet, and Dally just couldn't hit him. He was Dally's pet, too. Dally got up and stalked off, his fists jammed in his pockets and a frown on his face. He didn't come back.**  
**Cherry sighed in relief. "Thanks. He had me scared to death."**

Dally smirked "Knew it."

**Johnny managed an admiring grin. "You sure didn't show it. Nobody talks to Dally like that."**  
**She smiled, "From what I saw, you do."**  
**Johnny's ears got red. I was still staring at him. It had taken more than nerve for him to say what he'd said to Dally- Johnny worshiped the ground Dallas walked on, and I had never heard Johnny talk back to anyone, much less his hero.**  
**Marcia grinned at us. She was a little smaller than Cherry. She was cute, but that Cherry Valance was a real looker. "Y'all sit up here with us. You can protect us."**  
**Johnny and I looked at each other. He grinned suddenly, raising his eyebrows so that they disappeared under his bangs. Would we ever have something to tell the boys! his eyes said plainly. We had picked up two girls, and classy ones at that. Not any greasy broads for us, but real Socs. Soda would flip when I told him.**

"Ha you know me so well. And as Pone you are sweet to girls, so I could see it but it would be funny.

**"Okay," I said nonchalantly, "might as well."**  
**I sat between them, and Johnny sat next to Cherry.**  
**"How old are y'all?" Marcia asked.**  
**"Fourteen," I said.**  
**"Sixteen," said Johnny.**  
**'That's funny," Marcia said, "I thought you were both..."**  
**"Sixteen," Cherry finished for her.**  
**I was grateful. Johnny looked fourteen and he knew it and it bugged him something awful.**

"Not anymore." Johnny

**Johnny grinned. "How come y'all ain't scared of us like you were Dally?"**  
**Cherry sighed. "You two are too sweet to scare anyone. First of all, you didn't join in Dallas's dirty talk, and you made him leave us alone. Aid when we asked you to sit up here with us, you didn't act like it was an invitation to make out for the night. Besides that, I've heard about Dallas Winston, and he looked as hard as nails and twice as tough. And you two don't look mean."**  
**"Sure," I said tiredly, "we're young and innocent"**

**"No," Cherry said slowly, looking at me carefully, "not innocent. You've seen too much to be innocent. Just not... dirty."**

**"Dally's okay," Johnny said defensively, and I nodded. You take up for your buddies, no matter what they do. When you're a gang, you stick up for the members. If you don't stickup for them, stick together, make like brothers, it isn't a gang any more. It's a pack. A snarling, distrustful, bickering pack like the Socs in their social clubs or the street gangs in New York or the wolves in the timber. "He's tough, but he's a cool old guy."**

"You actually said that about me. I feel just special." dally said with fake cheeriness

**"He'd leave you alone if he knew you," I said, and that was true. When Steve's cousin from Kansas came down, Dally was decent to her and watched his swearing. We all did around nice girls who were the cousinly type. I don't know how to explain it- we try to be nice to the girls we see once in awhile, like cousins or the girls in class; but we still watch a nice girl go by on a street corner and say all kinds of lousy stuff about her. Don't ask me why. I don't know why.**  
**"Well," Marcia said with finality, "I'm glad he doesn't know us."**  
**"I kind of admire him," Cherry said softly, so only I heard, and then we settled down to watch the movie.**

"I'm sorry, but what." Dally

**Oh, yeah, we found out why they were without a car. They'd come with their boyfriends, but walked out on them when they found out the boys had brought some booze along. The boys had gotten angry and left.**  
**"I don't care if they did." Cherry sounded annoyed. "It's not my idea of a good time to sit in a drive-in and watch people get drunk."**  
**You could tell by the way she said it that her idea of a good time was probably, high-class, and probably expensive. They'd decided to stay and see the movie anyway. It was one of those beach-party movies with no plot and no acting but a lot of girls in bikinis and some swinging songs, so it was all right. We were all four sitting there in silence when suddenly a strong hand came down on Johnny's shoulder and another on mine and a deep voice said, "Okay, greasers, you've had it"**

Soda, Darry, Dally and Steve screamed "What?!"

**I almost jumped out of my skin. It was like having some one leap out from behind a door and yell "Boo!" at you.**  
**I looked fearfully over my shoulder and there was Two-Bit, grinning like a Chessy cat. "Glory, Two-Bit, scare us to death!" He was good at voice imitations and had sounded for all the world like a snarling Soc. Then I looked at Johnny. His eyes were shut and he was as white as a ghost. His breath was coming in smothered gasps. Two-Bit knew better than to scare Johnny like that. I guess he'd forgotten. He's kind of scatterbrained. Johnny opened his eyes and said weakly, "Hey, Two-Bit."**  
**Two-Bit messed up his hair, "Sorry, kid," he said, "I forgot."**

Dally exploded at that "YOU FORGOT! TWO-BIT THAT IS THE STUPIDEST THING TO FORGET! GOD TWO-BIT!"

**He climbed over the chair and plopped down beside Marcia. "Who's this, your great-aunts?"**  
**"Great-grandmothers, twice removed," Cherry said smoothly.**  
**I couldn't tell if Two-Bit was drunk or not. It's kind of hard to tell with him- he acts boozed up sometimes even when he's sober. He cocked one eyebrow up and the other down, which he always does when something puzzles him, or bothers him, or when he feels like saying some thing smart. "Shoot, you're ninety-six if you're a day."**  
**"I'm a night," Marcia said brightly.**  
**Two-Bit stared at her admiringly. "Brother, you're a sharp one. Where'd you two ever get to be picked up by a couple of greasy hoods like Pony and Johnny?"**  
**"We really picked them up," Marcia said. "We're really Arabian slave traders and we're thinking about shanghaiing them. They're worth ten camels apiece at least."**  
**"Five," Two-Bit disagreed. "They don't talk Arabian, I don't think. Say somethin' in Arabian, Johnnycake."**

"I'm sorry but is Two-Bit into a sox. Whoa never that that day would come." Steve said while laughing.

**"Aw, cut it out!" Johnny broke in. "Dally was bothering them and when he left they wanted us to sit with them to protect them. Against wisecracking greasers like you, probably."**  
**Two-Bit grinned, because Johnny didn't usually get sassy like that. We thought we were doing good if we could get him to talk at all. Incidentally, we don't mind being called greaser by another greaser. It's kind of playful then.**  
**"Hey, where is of Dally, anyways?"**  
**"He went hunting some action- booze or dames or a fight. I hope he don't get jailed again. He just got out"**

"thanks for caring johnnycakes." Dally said smiling.

**"He'll probably find the fight," Two-Bit stated cheerfully. "That's why I came over. Mr. Timothy Shepard and Co. are looking for whoever so kindly slashed their car's tires, and since Mr. Curly Shepard spotted Dallas doing it... well... Does Dally have a blade?"**  
**"Not that I know of," I said. "I think he's got a piece of pipe, but he busted his blade this morning."**  
**"Good. Tim'll fight fair if Dally don't pull a blade on him. Dally shouldn't have any trouble."**  
**Cherry and Marcia were staring at us. "You don't believe in playing rough or anything, do you?"**

The gang started laughing laughing at the fact that Cherry and Marcia seem to actually care about them.

**"A fair fight isn't rough;' Two-Bit said. "Blades are rough. So are chains and heaters and pool sticks and rumbles. Skin fighting isn't rough. It blows off steam better than anything. There's nothing wrong with throwing a few punches. Socs are rough. They gang up on one or two, or they rumble each other with their social clubs. Us greasers usually stick together, but when we do fight among ourselves, it's a fair fight between two. And Dally deserves whatever he gets, 'cause slashed tires ain't no joke when you've got to work to pay for them. He got spotted, too, and that was his fault. Our one rule, besides Stick together, is Don't get caught. He might get beat up, he might not. Either way there's not going to be any blood feud between our outfit and Shepard's, If we needed them tomorrow they'd show. If Tim beats Dally's head in, and then tomorrow asks us for help in a rumble, we'll show. Dally was getting kicks. He got caught. He pays up. No sweat."**  
**"Yeah, boy," Cherry said sarcastically, "real simple."**  
**"Sure," Marcia said, unconcerned. "If he gets killed or something, you just bury him. No sweat"**  
**"You dig okay, baby." Two-Bit grinned and lit a cigarette. "Anyone want a weed?"**

Darry scoffed at the mention of cigarettes while the rest of the gang glares at him.

**I looked at Two-Bit admiringly. He sure put things into words good. Maybe he was still a junior at eighteen and a half, and maybe his sideburns were too long, and maybe he did get boozed up too much, but he sure understood things.**  
**Cherry and Marcia shook their heads at his offering of cigarettes, but Johnny and I reached for one. Johnny's color was back and his breathing was regular, but his hand was shaking ever so slightly. A cigarette would steady it.**  
**"Ponyboy, will you come with me to get some popcorn?" Cherry asked.**  
**I jumped up. "Sure. Y'all want some?"**

"little fast there huh Pony." Soda said trying not to laugh at his little brother.

**"I do," said Marcia. She was finishing the Coke Dally had given her. I realized then that Marcia and Cherry weren't alike. Cherry had said she wouldn't drink Dally's Coke if she was starving, and she meant it. It was the principle of the thing. But Marcia saw no reason to throw away a perfectly good, free Coke.**  
**"Me too," said Two-Bit. He flipped me a fifty cent piece. "Get Johnny some, too. I'm buyin'," he added as Johnny started to reach into his jeans pocket.**  
**We went to the concession stand and, as usual, there was a line a mile long, so we had to wait. Quite a few kids turned to look at us- you didn't see a kid grease and a Socy cheerleader together often. Cherry didn't seem to notice.**  
**"Your friend- the one with the sideburns- he's okay?"**  
**"He ain't dangerous like Dallas if that's what you mean. He's okay."**  
**She smiled and her eyes showed that her mind was on something else. "Johnny... he's been hurt bad sometime, hasn't he?" It was more of a statement than a question. "Hurt and scared."**  
**"It was the Socs," I said nervously, because there were plenty of Socs milling around and some of them were giving me funny looks, as if I shouldn't be with Cherry or something. And I don't like to talk about it either- Johnny getting beat up, I mean. But I started in, talking a little faster than I usually do because I don't like to think about it either.**

"Well who would." Johnny muttered under his breath.

**IT WAS ALMOST four months ago. I had walked down to the DX station to get a bottle of pop and to see Steve and Soda, because they'll always buy me a couple of bottles and let me help work on the cars. I don't like to go on weekends because then there is usually a bunch of girls down there flirting with Soda- all kinds of girls, Socs too. I don't care too much for girls yet. Soda says I'll grow out of it. He did.**  
**It was a warmish spring day with the sun shining bright, but it was getting chilly and dark by the time we started for home. We were walking because we had left Steve's car at the station. At the corner of our block there's a wide, open field where we play football and hang out, and it's often a site for rumbles and fist fights. We were passing it, kicking rocks down the street and finishing our last bottle of Pepsi, when Steve noticed something lying on the ground. He picked it up. It was Johnny's blue-jeans jacket- the only jacket he had.**  
**"Looks like Johnny forgot his jacket," Steve said, slinging it over his shoulder to take it by Johnny's house. Suddenly he stopped and examined it more carefully. There was a stain the color of rust across the collar. He looked at the ground. There were some more stains on the grass. He looked up and across the field with a stricken expression on his face. I think we all heard the low moan and saw the dark motionless hump on the other side of the lot at the same time. Soda reached him first. Johnny was lying face down on the ground. Soda turned him over gently, and I nearly got sick. Someone had beaten him badly.**  
**We were used to seeing Johnny banged up- his father clobbered him around a lot, and although it made us madder than heck, we couldn't do anything about it. But those beatings had been nothing like this. Johnny's face was cut up and bruised and swollen, and there was a wide gash from his temple to his cheekbone. He would carry that scar all his life. His white T-shirt was splattered with blood. I just stood there, trembling with sudden cold. I thought he might be dead; surely nobody could be beaten like that and live. Steve closed his eyes for a second and muffled a groan as he dropped on his knees beside Soda.**  
**Somehow the gang sensed what had happened. Two-Bit was suddenly there beside me, and for once his comical grin was gone and his dancing gray eyes were stormy. Darry had seen us from our porch and ran toward us, suddenly skidding to a halt. Dally was there, too, swearing under his breath, and turning away with a sick expression on his face. I wondered about it vaguely. Dally had seen people killed on the streets of New York's West Side. Why did he look sick now?**  
**"Johnny?" Soda lifted him up and held him against his shoulder. He gave the limp body a slight shake. "Hey, Johnnycake."**  
**Johnny didn't open his eyes, but there came a soft ques tion. "Soda?"**  
**"Yeah, it's me," Sodapop said. "Don't talk. You're gonna be okay."**  
**"There was a whole bunch of them," Johnny went on, swallowing, ignoring Soda's command. "A blue Mustang full... I got so scared..." He tried to swear, but suddenly started crying, fighting to control himself, then sobbing all the more because he couldn't. I had seen Johnny take a whipping with a two-by-four from his old man and never let out a whimper. That made it worse to see him break now. Soda just held him and pushed Johnny's hair back out of his eyes. "It's okay, Johnnycake, they're gone now. It's okay."**  
**Finally, between sobs, Johnny managed to gasp out his story. He had been hunting our football to practice a few kicks when a blue Mustang had pulled up beside the lot. There were four Socs in it. They had caught him and one of them had a lot of rings on his hand- that's what had cut Johnny up so badly. It wasn't just that they had beaten him half to death- he could take that. They had scared him. They had threatened him with everything under the sun. Johnny was high-strung anyway, a nervous wreck from getting belted every time he turned around and from hearing his parents fight all the time. Living in those conditions might have turned someone else rebellious and bitter; it was killing Johnny. He had never been a coward. He was a good man in a rumble. He stuck up for the gang and kept his mouth shut good around cops. But after the night of the beating, Johnny was jumpier than ever. I didn't think he'd ever get over it. Johnny never walked by himself after that. And Johnny, who was the most law-abiding of us, now carried in his back pocket a six-inch switchblade. He'd use it, too, if he ever got jumped again. They had scared him that much. He would kill the next person who jumped him. Nobody was ever going to beat him like that again. Not over his dead body...**

The entire gang was silent during the mention of the awful jumping that Jonny received. None of them ever wanted to relive what they saw that day. They all wanted to forget about it as soon as possible.

**I HAD NEARLY forgotten that Cherry was listening to me. But when I came back to reality and looked at her, I was startled to find her as white as a sheet.**  
**"All Socs aren't like that," she said. "You have to believe me, Ponyboy. Not all of us are like that."**  
**"Sure," I said.**  
**"That's like saying all you greasers are like Dallas Winston. I'll bet he's jumped a few people."**  
**I digested that. It was true. Dally had jumped people. He had told us stories about muggings in New York that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. But not all of us were that bad.**  
**Cherry no longer looked sick, only sad. "I'll bet you think the Socs have it made. The rich kids, the West-side Socs. I'll tell you something, Ponyboy, and it may come as a surprise. We have troubles you've never even heard of. You want to know something?" She looked me straight in the eye. "Things are rough all over."**

"Doubt it." Dally and Darry

**"I believe you," I said. "We'd better get back out there with the popcorn or Two-Bit'll think I ran off with his money."**

"You wouldn't do that to me Ponyboy." Two-Bit said happily.  
I snorted and said "Except I already have before Two-Bit."

**We went back and watched the movie through again. Marcia and Two-Bit were hitting it off fine. Both had the same scatterbrained sense of humor. But Cherry and Johnny and I just sat there, looking at the movie and not talking. I quit worrying about everything and thought about how nice it was to sit with a girl without having to listen to her swear or to beat her off with a club. I knew Johnny liked it, too. He didn't talk to girls much. Once, while Dallas was in reform school, Sylvia had started hanging on to Johnny and sweet talking him and Steve got hold of her and told her if she tried any of her tricks with Johnny he'd personally beat the tar out of her.**

"I'm sorry, what did that backstabber do with you Johnny?" dally asked clearly furious at her so none of us responded knowing Dally would hurt us if we did.

**Then he gave Johnny a lecture on girls and how a sneaking little broad like Sylvia would get him into a lot of trouble. As a result, Johnny never spoke to girls much, but whether that was because he was scared of Steve or because he was shy, I couldn't tell.**

"Slightly both, but it's okay." Johnny said.

**I got the same lecture from Two-Bit after we'd picked up a couple of girls downtown one day. I thought it was funny, because girls are one subject even Darry thinks I use my head about. And it really had been funny, because Two-Bit was half crocked when he gave me the lecture, and he told me some stories that about made me want to crawl under the floor or something. But he had been talking about girls like Sylvia and the girls he and Dally and the rest picked up at drive-ins and downtown; he never said anything about Socy girls. So I figured it was all right to be sitting there with them. Even if they did have their own troubles. I really couldn't see what Socs would have to sweat about- good grades, good cars, good girls, madras and Mustangs and Corvairs- Man, I thought, if I had worries like that I'd consider myself lucky.**  
**I know better now.**

"you know better? how so Pone?" Soda questioned  
"well soda, I learned a lot over that one week. Having a week like me and Johnny and i guess Dally had then yeah you learn new things." i responded. Soda smiled and we all made our way to the kitchen for lunch.


	6. AN :(

**Hey guys I hate these things but they are helpful right now. So anyway the next chapter will be up this weekend. I have major family issues and haven't had a chance to work on the story at all. **

**Anyway on a happier note I am starting a new story about the Shepard family. I feel not many people give them good stories and I want to. A fair warning though if you read it Tim, Curly, and Angela will be OOC at times. I am gonna show a true family bond between them. So if it sounds interesting I suggest giving it a try. It will be called "Shepard Family Bond" **

**Anywho stay gold, love greasers, be a dreamer, and be a greaser!**

**~signed Tigger2theTenth**


	7. Chapter 7

**Heyyy my followers! Wow that sounds so cool to say. HAHAHa :) Anyway here you guys go the next chapter installed in my story. Yeah!. **

**Disclaimer: Me no own Outsiders at all. S.E. Hinton does.**

**Also cookies and french fries haha I need food now so read pleaseeeeee and review! **

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**AFTER THE MOVIE was over it suddenly came to us that Cherry and Marcia didn't have a way to get home. **

"Really it just occurred to you then." Steve said while laughing.

**Two-Bit gallantly offered to walk them home- the west side of town was only about twenty miles away- but they wanted to call their parents and have them come and get them. Two-Bit finally talked them into letting us drive them home in his car. I think they were still half-scared of us. They were getting over it, though, as we walked to Two-Bit's house to pick up the car. **

"Two-Bit how on earth did you convince them to walk to your house?" Darry said. Two-Bit just shrugged and I continued reading.

**It seemed funny to me that Socs- if these girls were any example- were just like us. They liked the Beatles and thought Elvis Presley was out, and we thought the Beatles were rank and that Elvis was tuff, but that seemed the only difference to me. Of course greasy girls would have acted a lot tougher, but there was a basic sameness. I thought maybe it was money that separated us.**

Everyone sat and thought about what I just read. To me it still didn't seem crazy at all. Johnny agreed with me on that. Darry, Dally, Steve, and Soda didn't understand it as well as I hoped. And Two-Bit smiled he knew what I said was crazy and yet he still wanted to believe it. After all he is in love with Marcia. I just started reading to get everyone out of their trances.

**"No," Cherry said slowly when I said this. "It's not just money. Part of it is, but not all. You greasers have a different set of values. You're more emotional. We're sophisticated- cool to the point of not feeling anything. Nothing is real with us. You know, sometimes I'll catch myself talking to a girl-friend, and realize I don't mean half of what I'm saying. I don't really think a beer blast on the river bottom is super-cool, but I'll rave about one to a girl-friend just to be saying something." She smiled at me. "I never told anyone that. I think you're the first person I've ever really gotten through to."**

"Wow, Socs are even weirder than you described Pone. I mean I always thought that they were heartless monsters." Dally said. Everyone just stared at him in complete shock. That was one thing that you would never hear come out of Dallas Winston's mouth. EVER.

**She was coming through to me all right, probably because I was a greaser, and younger; she didn't have to keep her guard up with me.**

**"Rat race is a perfect name for it," she said. "We're always going and going and going, and never asking where. Did you ever hear of having more than you wanted? So that you couldn't want anything else and then started looking for something else to want? It seems like we're always searching for something to satisfy us, and never finding it. Maybe if we could lose our cool. we could."**

"Ha I highly doubt that a Soc could lose their cool. It is just so unnatural for that to happen at all." This came from Tim Shepard who was standing in out doorway at the moment.

"Hey Tim what you need?" I asked, ever since the accident as I like to call it, I became better friends with Curly and spent more time at the Shepard's.

"I need a place to stay for a while. Hey kid Curly wants me to give you this he says and I quote 'open it when no one else is around you then write a reply and get it to me somehow.'" He handed me the paper and I put it in my jeans pocket. We then explained how we were reading my theme and what had happened so far. He was surprised but looked eager to hear more.

**That was the truth. Socs were always behind a wall of aloofness, careful not to let their real selves show through. I had seen a social-club rumble once. The Socs even fought coldly and practically and impersonally.**

"When did you see a social club fight?" Darry asked.

I shrugged, I didn't want them to know it was with Curly Shepard. They didn't know I hung out with him at all. No one did except Tim and Johnny. Maybe Dallas, he seems to know a lot.

**"That's why we're separated," I said. "It's not money, it's feeling- you don't feel anything and we feel too violently."**

**"And"- she was trying to hide a smile- "that's probably why we take turns getting our names in the paper."**

**Two-Bit and Marcia weren't even listening to us. They were engaged in some wild conversation that made no sense to anyone but themselves.**

No one said anything, just stared open mouthed at Two-Bit. All except me and Johnny who were there that night.

**I have quite a rep for being quiet, almost as quiet as Johnny. Two-Bit always said he wondered why Johnny and I were such good buddies. "You must make such interestin' conversation," he'd say, cocking one eyebrow, "you keepin' your mouth shut and Johnny not sayin' anything." But Johnny and I understood each other without saying anything. Nobody but Soda could really get me talking. Till I met Cherry Valance.**

Soda looked taken aback while Steve and I just started laughing our heads off. That made everybody stare at us. It was an inside joke that we had. ***

**I don't know why I could talk to her; maybe for the same reason she could talk to me. The first thing I knew I was telling her about Mickey Mouse, Soda's horse. I had never told anyone about Soda's horse. It was personal.**

Everyone was quiet out of respect. They all knew how much Soda loved that horse.

**Soda had this buckskin horse, only it wasn't his. It belonged to a guy who kept it at the stables where Soda used to work. Mickey Mouse was Soda's horse, though. The first day Soda saw him he said, "There's my horse," and I never doubted it. I was about ten then. Sodapop is horsecrazy. I mean it. He's always hanging around stables and rodeos, hopping on a horse every time he gets a chance. When I was ten I thought that Mickey Mouse and Soda looked alike and were alike. Mickey Mouse was a dark-gold buckskin, sassy and ornery, not much more than a colt. He'd come when Soda called him. He wouldn't come for anyone else. That horse loved Soda. He'd stand there and chew on Soda's sleeve or collar. Gosh, but Sodapop was crazy about that horse. He went down to see him every day. Mickey Mouse was a mean horse: He kicked other horses and was always getting into trouble. "I've got me a ornery pony," Soda'd tell him, rubbing his neck. "How come you're so mean, Mickey Mouse?" Mickey Mouse would just chew on his sleeve and sometimes nip him. But not hard. He may have belonged to another guy, but he was Soda's horse.**

"Yeah I miss good ole Mickey Mouse. Remember when he attacked the actual owner and I had to calm Mickey Mouse down." Soda said while laughing. I started laughing too because I was the only one who was there when that actually happened.

**"Does Soda still have him?" Cherry asked.**

**"He got sold," I said. "They came and got him one day and took him off. He was a real valuable horse. Pure quarter."**

"How do you remember that? I didn't even know Mickey was pure quarter." Soda said. I just shrugged. Truth is I had overheard the owner talking to some guy at the stables and I just seemed to remember.

**She didn't say anything else and I was glad. I couldn't tell her that Soda had bawled all night long after they came and got Mickey Mouse. I had cried, too, if you want to know the truth, because Soda never really wanted any thing except a horse, and he'd lost his. Soda had been twelve then, going-on-thirteen. He never let on to Mom and Dad how he felt, though, because we never had enough money and usually we had a hard time making ends meet. When you're thirteen in our neighborhood you know the score. I kept saving my money for a year, thinking that someday I could buy Mickey Mouse back for Soda. You're not so smart at ten.**

Soda hugged me. He never knew I had saved my money for him.

**"You read a lot, don't you, Ponyboy?" Cherry asked.**

**I was startled. "Yeah. Why?"**

Steve snorted "That was a very strange question to be asked." I shrugged but kept reading.

**She kind of shrugged. "I could just tell. I'll bet you watch sunsets, too." She was quiet for a minute after I nodded. "I used to watch them, too, before I got so busy..."**

I started spacing thinking about the sunrise from Windrixville when I realized that the gang had said my name about 10 times. I snapped out of my daze and just continued reading to avoid any questions the gang might've had.

**I pictured that, or tried to. Maybe Cherry stood still and watched the sun set while she was supposed to be taking the garbage out. Stood there and watched and forgot everything else until her big brother screamed at her to hurry up. I shook my head. It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and, the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset.**

I sighed and thought about the sunrise again. I looked at Johnny and could tell he was remembering it too.

**Marcia suddenly gasped. "Cherry, look what's coming."**

**We all looked and saw a blue Mustang coming down the street. Johnny made a small noise in his throat and when I looked at him he was white.**

Dally's attention was caught as soon as I read this. I could also tell that Darry and Soda were tense.

**Marcia was shifting nervously. "What are we going to do?"**

**Cherry bit a fingernail. "Stand here," she said. "There isn't much else we can do."**

**"Who is it?" Two-Bit asked. "The F.B.I.?"**

**"No," Cherry said bleakly, "it's Randy and Bob."**

Everyone looked shocked, all except Two-Bit, Johnny and I since we were there. I chuckled at them and in return got a few death glares from Soda, Darry, and Dally.

**"And," Two-Bit added grimly, "a few other of the socially elite checkered-shirt set"**

**"Your boyfriends?" Johnny's voice was steady, but standing as close to him as I was, I could see he was trembling. I wondered why- Johnny was a nervous wreck, but he never was that jumpy.**

Johnny laughed and said "Oh well you know maybe they were the ones who jumped me before. But you know they could be different guys." I smiled while everyone else looked at us almost concerned.

**Cherry started walking down the street. "Maybe they won't see us. Act normal."**

**"Who's acting?" Two-Bit grinned. "I'm a natural normal."**

Tim mumbled "Wish it weren't true."

**"Wish it was the other way around," I muttered, and Two-Bit said, "Don't get mouthy, Ponyboy"**

**The Mustang passed us slowly and went right on by. Marcia sighed in relief. 'That was close."**

**Cherry turned to me. "Tell me about your oldest brother. You don't talk much about him."**

I heard multiple groans and a few "oh no". I just shook my head.

**I tried to think of something to say about Darry, and shrugged. "What's to talk about? He's big and handsome and likes to play football."**

"Wow that is probably the best description of Darry that you've given." Steve said. However Two-Bit and Johnny looked nervous. They knew what came next.

**"I mean, what's he like? I feel like I know Soda from the way you talk about him; tell me about Darry." And when I was silent she urged me on. "Is he wild and reckless like Soda? Dreamy, like you?" **

"A soc said you are dreamy. That is just unnatural kid." Tim said while shaking his head.

**My face got hot as I bit my lip. Darry... what was Darry like? "He's..." I started to say he was a good ol' guy but I couldn't. I burst out bitterly: "He's not like Sodapop at all and he sure ain't like me. He's hard as a rock and about as human. He's got eyes exactly like frozen ice. He thinks I'm a pain in the neck. He likes Soda- everybody likes Soda- but he can't stand me. I bet he wishes he could stick me in a home somewhere, and he'd do it, too, if Soda'd let him."**

There was complete silence after that. Two-Bit and Johnny were staring blankly ahead since they already knew what had happened. Soda and Darry were struck dumb. Darry knew that he and I weren't close back then, but he never imagined I felt like that.

Dally, Tim, and Steve were shocked. Tim having a younger brother and sister knew that it was hard to get along sometimes. Dally looked at me then Darry and was at a lose of words. He always thought that we were fine and got along all the time. Steve got up and smacked my head as hard as he could. Since we usually found Steve on out couch in the morning he always though our place was heaven on earth. I sighed and read on. I wanted to finish this so bad.

**Two-Bit and Johnny were staring at me now. "No..." Two-Bit said, dumfounded. "No, Ponyboy, that ain't right... you got it wrong..."**

**"Gee," Johnny said softly, "I thought you and Darry and Soda got along real well..."**

A chorus of "so did we" was heard throughout the room.

**"Well, we don't," I snapped, feeling silly. I knew my ears were red by the way they were burning, and I was thankful for the darkness. I felt stupid. Compared to Johnny's home, mine was heaven. At least Darry didn't get drunk and beat me up or run me out of the house, and I had Sodapop to talk things over with. **

Johnny looked at me sadly. He knew how I felt but he also knew why I ran away. No one else, other than Darry and Soda, knew why I ran that night. I was shifting in my seat knowing I was about to hear a mouthful from Dal.

**That made me mad, I mean making a fool of myself in front of everyone. "An' you can shut your trap, Johnny Cade, 'cause we all know you ain't wanted at home, either. And you can't blame them."**

The room was silent. No one had anything to say about what just happened. Except Dallas Winston. He went off swearing and cursing me out. I could tell he wanted to smack me.

It took Tim, Darry, Soda, and Steve to hold him back. Two-Bit and Johnny were protecting me from the wrath of Dallas.

Once Dally was calmed enough, I picked up the theme and continued while ignoring all the death glares I was getting from the gang.

**Johnny's eyes went round and he winced as though I'd belted him. Two-Bit slapped me a good one across the side of the head, and hard.**

**"Shut your mouth, kid. If you wasn't Soda's kid brother I'd beat the tar out of you. You know better than to talk to Johnny like that." He put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "He didn't mean it, Johnny."**

Johnny and I shared a smile. We knew each other well enough to know that neither of us would ever believe something like that coming from the other person.

**"I'm sorry," I said miserably. Johnny was my buddy. "I was just mad."**

**"It's the truth," Johnny said with a bleak grin. "I don't care."**

Johnny sighed I knew he hated his family. I shot him a smile before reading to try and brighten his mood.

**"Shut up talkin' like that," Two-Bit said fiercely, messing up Johnny's hair. "We couldn't get along without you, so you can just shut up!"**

**"It ain't fair!" I cried passionately. **

Soda looked at me and said "What isn't fair Pone?" I shook my head and just continued letting the book do all the explaining.

**"It ain't fair that we have all the rough breaks!" I didn't know exactly what I meant, but I was thinking about Johnny's father being a drunk and his mother a selfish slob, and Two-Bit's mother being a barmaid to support him and his kid sister after their father ran out on them, and Dally- wild, cunning Dally- turning into a hoodlum because he'd die if he didn't, and Steve- his hatred for his father coming out in his soft, bitter voice and the violence of his temper. Sodapop... a dropout so he could get a job and keep me in school, and Darry, getting old before his time trying to run a family and hold on to two jobs and never having any fun- while the Socs had so much spare time and money that they jumped us and each other for kicks, had beer blasts and river-bottom parties because they didn't know what else to do. Things were rough all over, all right. All over the East Side. It just didn't seem right to me.**

"Wow. How do we manage to survive? Oh, right. We have each other and that is all that matter when it comes to life. We have family and friends, or in Tim's case a gang, and that is all we need to be happy and live." Every single face in the room was shocked. It was all because Dallas had said that.

**"I know," Two-Bit said with a good-natured grin, "the chips are always down when it's our turn, but that's the way things are. Like it or lump it."**

"Like it or Lump it? Really Two-Bit." Steve said.

**Cherry and Marcia didn't say anything. I guess they didn't know what to say. We had forgotten they were there. Then the blue Mustang was coming down the street again, more slowly.**

Soda tensed in his seat and would not let anyone say a single word. He wanted to get through this part as fast as we could.

**"Well," Cherry said resignedly, "they've spotted us."**

**The Mustang came to a halt beside us, and the two boys in the front seat got out. They were Socs all right. One had on a white shirt and a madras ski jacket, and the other a light yellow shirt and a wine-colored sweater. **

I heard Dally and Tim mutter a string of curse words. But I tried to ignore them as best as I could.

**I looked at their clothes and realized for the first time that evening that all I had was a pair of jeans and Soda's old navy sweat shirt with the sleeves cut short. I swallowed. Two-Bit started to tuck in his shirttail, but stopped himself in time; he just flipped up the collar of his black leather jacket and lit a cigarette. The Socs didn't even seem to see us.**

Soda gave a nervous laugh and muttered "I guess that is good, maybe."

**"Cherry, Marcia, listen to us..." the handsome black-haired Soc with the dark sweater began.**

**Johnny was breathing heavily and I noticed he was staring at the Soc's hand. He was wearing three heavy rings. I looked quickly at Johnny, an idea dawning on me. I remembered that it was a blue Mustang that had pulled up beside the vacant lot and that Johnny's face had been cut up by someone wearing rings.**

It suddenly dawned over everyone else that those are the same Soc's that had jumped Johnny and a new sense of worry fell over the gang.

**The Soc's voice broke into my thoughts: "...just because we got a little drunk last time..."**

**Cherry looked mad. "A little? You call reeling and passing out in the streets 'a little'? Bob, I told you, I'm never going out with you while you're drinking, and I mean it. Too many things could happen while you're drunk. It's me or the booze."**

"Woah. Two-Bit could never be with a girl who gave him that option." Steve said. Two-Bit launched a pillow at him in response.

**The other Soc, a tall guy with a semi-Beatle haircut, turned to Marcia. "Baby, you know we don't get drunk very often..." When she only gave him a cold stare he got angry. "And even if you are mad at us, that's no reason to go walking the streets with these bums."**

The gang almost silently growled at them. I looked a little worried.

**Two-Bit took a long drag on his cigarette, Johnny slouched and hooked his thumbs in his pockets, and I stiffened. We can look meaner than anything when we want to- looking tough comes in handy. Two-Bit put his elbow on Johnny's shoulder. "Who you callin' bums?"**

**"Listen, greasers, we got four more of us in the back seat..."**

**"Then pity the back seat," Two-Bit said to the sky.**

The gang looked at Two-Bit in an almost admiring way. They instantly regretted it when they saw how Two-Bit looked cocky and had an expression that said 'I can do anything'.

**"If you're looking for a fight..."**

**Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow, but it only made him look more cool. "You mean if I'm looking for a good jumping, you outnumber us, so you'll give it to us? Well..." He snatched up an empty bottle, busted off the end, and gave it to me, then reached in his back pocket and flipped out his switchblade. "Try it, pal."**

"YOU GAVE HIM A BUSTED POP BOTTLE?! HE COULDN'T USE ONE!" Soda was practically yelling at him

"Yes he can. Just wait and see. Right Ponyboy." Two-Bit said and I nodded. As did Steve, causing Soda to be even more confused.

**"No!" Cherry cried. "Stop it!" She looked at Bob. "We'll ride home with you. Just wait a minute."**

**"Why?" Two-Bit demanded. "We ain't scared of them."**

**Cherry shuddered. "I can't stand fights... I can't stand them..."**

Tim snorted and said "Of course, a Soc who doesn't like fights."

**I pulled her to one side. "I couldn't use this," I said, dropping the pop bottle. "I couldn't ever cut anyone..." I had to tell her that, because I'd seen her eyes when Two-Bit flicked out his switch.**

**"I know," she said quietly, "but we'd better go with them. Ponyboy... I mean... if I see you in the hall at school or someplace and don't say hi, well, it's not personal or anything, but..."**

"How? How can I not take that personal." I said hoping nobody would hear. With just my luck everyone heard me.

**"I know," I said.**

**"We couldn't let our parents see us with you all. You're a nice boy and everything..."**

**"It's okay," I said, wishing I was dead and buried somewhere. Or at least that I had on a decent shirt. "We aren't in the same class. Just don't forget that some of us watch the sunset too."**

"Ah the beauty of a sunset. What is so beautiful about one anyway?" Two-Bit said curiously.

"Watch one and you'll see." I said before continuing.

**She looked at me quickly. "I could fall in love with Dallas Winston," she said. "I hope I never see him again, or I will."**

**She left me standing there with my mouth dropped open, and the blue Mustang vroomed off.**

Much like the description of me in the book everyone had their mouth open in shock. It was very hard to believe though. A tough hood like Dallas and a sophisticated Soc like Cherry. It was unimaginable.

**We walked on home, mostly in silence. I wanted to ask Johnny if those were the same Socs that had beaten him up, but I didn't mention it. Johnny never talked about it and we never said anything.**

**"Well, those were two good-lookin' girls if I ever saw any." Two-Bit yawned as we sat down on the curb at the vacant lot. He took a piece of paper out,of his pocket and tore it up.**

**"What was that?"**

**"Marcia's number. Probably a phony one, too. I must have been outa my mind to ask for it. I think I'm a little soused."**

Steve snorted "You actually got her number? How did you manage that?"

Two-Bit shrugged and smiled. He found out later that that was her real number.

**So he had been drinking. Two-Bit was smart. He knew the score. "Y'all goin' home?" he asked.**

**"Not right now," I said. I wanted to have another smoke and to watch the stars. I had to be in by twelve, but I thought I had plenty of time.**

**"I don't know why I handed you that busted bottle," Two-Bit said, getting to his feet. "You'd never use it."**

**"Maybe I would have," I said. "Where you headed?"**

"At least I now know you can use a busted bottle." Two-Bit said smiling. Steve and I smiled too, while Soda and Darry looked concerned and curious at the same time.

**"Gonna go play a little snooker and hunt up a poker game. Maybe get rip-roarin' drunk. I dunno. See y'all tomorrow."**

**Johnny and I stretched out on our backs and looked at the stars. I was freezing- it was a cold night and all I had was that sweat shirt, but I could watch stars in sub-zero weather. I saw Johnny's cigarette glowing in the dark and wondered vaguely what it was like inside a burning ember.**

The gang looked at me strangely and I simply replied "I know what it is like now and yes I have strange thoughts alright. Deal with it."

**"It was because we're greasers," Johnny said, and I knew he was talking about Cherry. "We could have hurt her reputation."**

**"I reckon," I said, wondering if I ought to tell Johnny what she had said about Dallas.**

"I honestly didn't need to ever know that. I could have gone my whole life not know she loved Dallas." Johnny said.

**"Man, that was a tuff car. Mustangs are tuff."**

**"Big time Socs, all right," I said, a nervous bitterness growing inside me. It wasn't fair for the Socs to have everything. We were as good as they were; it wasn't our fault we were greasers. I couldn't just take it or leave it, like Two-Bit, or ignore it and love life anyway, like Sodapop, or harden myself beyond caring, like Dally, or actually enjoy it, like Tim Shepard. I felt the tension growing inside of me and I knew something had to happen or I would explode.**

The greasers that were mentioned looked shocked that I had observed so much about them.

**"I can't take much more." Johnny spoke my own feel ings. "I'll kill myself or something."**

**"Don't," I said, sitting up in alarm. "You can't kill yourself, Johnny."**

**"Well, I won't. But I gotta do something. It seems like there's gotta be someplace without greasers or Socs, with just people. Plain ordinary people."**

Johnny and I sighed. We liked being in the country, we just didn't like why we had to be in the country.

**"Out of the big towns," I said, lying back down. "In the country..."**

**In the country... I loved the country. I wanted to be out of towns and away from excitement. I only wanted to lie on my back under a tree and read a book or draw a picture, and not worry about being jumped or carrying a blade or ending up married to some scatterbrained broad with no sense. The country would be like that, I thought dreamily. I would have a yeller cur dog, like I used to, and Sodapop could get Mickey Mouse back and ride in all the rodeos he wanted to, and Darry would lose that cold, hard look and be like he used to be, eight months ago, before Mom and Dad were killed. Since I was dreaming I brought Mom and Dad back to life. Mom could bake some more chocolate cakes and Dad would drive the pickup out early to feed the cattle. He would slap Darry on the back and tell him he was getting to be a man, a regular chip off the block, and they would be as close as they used to be. Maybe Johnny could come and live with us, and the gang could come out on weekends, and maybe Dallas would see that there was some good in the world after all, and Mom would talk to him and make him grin in spite of himself. "You've got quite a mom," Dally used to say. "She knows the score." She could talk to Dallas and kept him from getting into a lot of trouble. My mother was golden and beautiful.**

I sighed as did Soda and Darry. I really missed my mother and father, but I was still thankful to have the gang and my brothers.

It seemed that the entire gang was picturing what I had described. I was about to ask Darry if we could go to the country soon. As if reading my mind he nodded, I smiled at the thought of returning to the country.

**"Ponyboy"- Johnny was shaking me- "Hey, Pony, wake up."**

**I sat up, shivering. The stars had moved. "Glory, what time is it?"**

**"I don't know. I went to sleep, too, listening to you rattle on and on. You'd better get home. I think I'll stay all night out here." Johnny's parents didn't care if he came home or not.**

**"Okay." I yawned. Gosh, but it was cold. "If you get cold or something come on over to our house."**

**"Okay."**

The room all seemed to tense knowing something bad was going to happen soon. Real soon.

"Sometimes I wish I had come with you Ponyboy." Johnny said solemnly.

I smiled and said "I sometimes wish you had too, Johnnycake."

**I ran home, trembling at the thought of facing Darry. The porch light was on. Maybe they were asleep and I could sneak in, I thought. I peeked in the window. Sodapop was stretched out on the sofa, sound asleep, but Darry was in the armchair under the lamp, reading the newspaper. I gulped, and opened the door softly. Darry looked up from his paper. He was on his feet in a second. I stood there, chewing on my fingernail.**

"I really need to break that habit." I said hoping to loosen the tension that had filled the room

**"Where the heck have you been? Do you know what time it is?" He was madder than I'd seen him in a long time. I shook my head wordlessly.**

**"Well, it's two in the morning, kiddo. Another hour and I would have had the police out after you. Where were you, Ponyboy?"- his voice was rising- "Where in the almighty universe were you?"**

**It sounded dumb, even to me, when I stammered, "I... I went to sleep in the lot..."**

**"You what?" He was shouting, and Sodapop sat up and rubbed his eyes.**

**"Hey, Ponyboy," he said sleepily, "where ya been?"**

"Little slow huh Soda?" Steve said trying to release some of the tension in the room.

**"I didn't mean to." I pleaded with Darry. "I was talking to Johnny and we both dropped off..."**

Darry, Soda, and I started getting extremely nervous knowing what was going to happen any moment.

**"I reckon it never occurred to you that your brothers might be worrying their heads off and afraid to call the police because something like that could get you two thrown in a boys' home so quick it'd make your head spin. And you were asleep in the lot? Ponyboy, what on earth is the matter with you? Can't you use your head? You haven't even got a coat on."**

**I felt hot tears of anger and frustration rising. "I said I didn't mean to..."**

Darry groaned regretting everything that was about to happen and had happened. I shot a reassuring smile his way.

**"I didn't mean to!" Darry shouted, and I almost shook. "I didn't think! I forgot! That's all I hear out of you! Can't you think of anything?"**

**"Darry..." Sodapop began, but Darry turned on him. "You keep your trap shut! I'm sick and tired of hearin' you stick up for him."**

**He should never yell at Soda. Nobody should ever holler at my brother. I exploded. "You don't yell at him!" I shouted. Darry wheeled around and slapped me so hard that it knocked me against the door.**

**Suddenly it was deathly quiet. We had all frozen. Nobody in my family had ever hit me. Nobody. Soda was wide-eyed. Darry looked at the palm of his hand where it had turned red and then looked back at me. His eyes were huge. "Ponyboy..."**

**I turned and ran out the door and down the street as fast as I could. Darry screamed, "Pony, I didn't mean to!" but I was at the lot by then and pretended I couldn't hear. I was running away. It was plain to me that Darry didn't want me around. And I wouldn't stay if he did. He wasn't ever going to hit me again**

With that Steve lost it. He jumped up a punched Darry's jaw. He started screaming saying "YOU NEVER HIT A FAMILY MEMBER! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CARE FOR AND PROTECT THEM! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DARRY! WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU HIT PONYBOY! WHY DARRY WHY!" Soda, Tim, and Dally had to hold him back from doing any more damage to Darry.

He sat down still fuming. But gladly stayed quiet. I looked around at everyone and nervously continued reading.

**"Johnny?" I called, and started when he rolled over and jumped up almost under my feet. "Come on, Johnny, we're running away."**

**Johnny asked no questions. We ran for several blocks until we were out of breath. Then we walked. I was crying by then. I finally just sat down on the curb and cried, burying my face in my arms. Johnny sat down beside me, one hand on my shoulder. "Easy, Ponyboy," he said softly, "we'll be okay."**

**I finally calmed down and wiped my eyes on my bare arm. My breath was coming in quivering sobs. "Gotta cigarette?"**

**He handed me one and struck a match.**

**"Johnny, I'm scared."**

**'Well, don't be. You're scarin' me. What happened? I never seen you bawl like that."**

Soda looked angry at himself and I knew exactly what he was thinking. He was thinking that he should have been there with me. I gave him a quick hug and then went back to reading.

**"I don't very often. It was Darry. He hit me. I don't know what happened, but I couldn't take him hollering at me and hitting me too. I don't know... sometimes we get along okay, then all of a sudden he blows up on me or else is naggin' at me all the time. He didn't use to be like that... we used to get along okay... before Mom and Dad died. Now he just can't stand me."**

Darry sighed and looked at the ground. For a moment I saw Tim and Steve look sorry for him then get mad at him.

**"I think I like it better when the old man's hittin' me." Johnny sighed. "At least then I know he knows who I am. I walk in that house, and nobody says anything. I walk out, and nobody says anything. I stay away all night, and nobody notices. At least you got Soda. I ain't got nobody."**

I smiled and said "No Johnny not true." He smiled back at me and then shook his head at me.

**"Shoot," I said, startled out of my misery, "you got the whole gang. Dally didn't slug you tonight 'cause you're the pet. I mean, golly, Johnny, you got the whole gang."**

"Yeah Johnny you got us." Two-Bit said still trying to lighten the mood in the room.

**"It ain't the same as having your own folks care about you," Johnny said simply. "It just ain't the same."**

**I was beginning to relax and wonder if running away was such a great idea. I was sleepy and freezing to death and I wanted to be home in bed, safe and warm under the covers with Soda's arm across me. I decided I would go home and just not speak to Darry. It was my house as much as Darry's, and if he wanted to pretend I wasn't alive, that was just fine with me. He couldn't stop me from living in my own house.**

Darry sighed and muttered "No I couldn't" Steve glare at him but thankfully said nothing.

**"Let's walk to the park and back. Then maybe I'll be cooled off enough to go home."**

**"Okay," Johnny said easily. "Okay."**

**Things gotta get better, I figured. They couldn't get worse. I was wrong.**

I cleared my throat and said "How about we take a break and then continue reading after we eat. I got nods at various levels of enthusiasm. After a minute or two everyone started getting up and moving around. Johnny and I went outside for a smoke. Everyone else went off to do something else.

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**Few done. Okay a side note I am going on vacation for 3 weeks soon and have no connection to the wifi for 2 of those weeks sooooo i probably won't have a new update up for a couple of week cuz when I get back I have the almighty BAND CAMP! so I will do my best to TRY (key word:try) to add a new chapter before I go on vacation. ****  
**

**On a happier note REVIEW! Stay Gold 3**


	8. Chapter 8

**hey so look at me another chapter up already. yay go me! no i had nothing to do today so i decided to write.**

**disclaimer: You all know it, i don't own The Outsiders and characters. S.E. Hinton does.**

**Anyway read review i love getting all the reviews. I honestly thought that no one would ever read this but look at you awesome people reading my story. I just love it so anyway here you go.**

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Johnny and I were standing on the front porch of my house smoking, just enjoying the day. It was around noon and Darry was inside making everyone lunch.

"So, " Johnny said, obviously trying to defuse the awkward silence. "That was quite a shock to the gang."

I nodded my head and said "Yeah. I just feel bad about hiding this from the gang for so long. I mean if they had known what had happened to make me run then maybe-."

Johnny held up a hand to silence me and said "Pone, them knowing had absolutely no affect on what happened. Now we just gotta hope Steve doesn't blow up at Darry again. And Darry hittin' you had nothing to do with me stabbin' that Soc."

That was the longest speech I had ever heard Johnny give in a while. I smiled and started thinking about how the gang would take the next part.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SPECIAL LINE BREAK ATTACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**(Dally POV-only for this chapter maybe)**

I was sitting on the couch watching everything around me when it hit me. Since when have Ponyboy Curtis and Curly Shepard been close. I knew that they talked every now and then, but never thought of them as friends.

And what was in that letter that Tim said was from Curly. I got up and went to go ask the kid what it said.

I saw them on the porch smoking in silence. I broke the silence by saying "Hey Pony, what's in that letter from Curly?" I was curious.

He looked at me a shrugged. I sighed and as calmly as I could and said "Then why don't you read it and find out."

He responded by saying "I'll do it after we are done reading. Then maybe I'll tell you if it ain't personal or something I don't want Darry and Soda to know about."

I left it at that and just decided to light up and wait for food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SPECIAL LINE BREAK ATTACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**(Steve POV)**

I was still fuming about learning that Darry had hit Pony. I knew I was rough on him and I was working on fixing the problems that we had. It was just so hard to believe that the place I called sactuary had problems buried deep within the walls.

I looked outside and saw Pony, Johnny, and Dally smokin' in silence. I saw Soda talking quietly with Darry. It was probably about my reaction.

I didn't think I was out of line punching Darry in the face. I lifted my red solo cup and drank some more pepsi. **(A/N listening to that song right now. Haha)**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SPECIAL LINE BREAK ATTACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**(Soda POV)**

I was talking with Dar in the kitchen. Pony and Johnny left to go smoke. I knew Pone needed to cut back on his smoking. I noticed Dallas had joined them. I turned back to Darry and said, "Hey what do you think is in that letter from Curly?"

"No idea. It seems that everyone wants to know though."

"Yeah." I was about to go tell everyone lunch was done when I stopped and said "Dar, don't let Steve's reaction get you down. He suffers that and it's hard on him."

He nodded and I proceeded to go and spread the word about lunch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SPECIAL LINE BREAK ATTACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**(Pony POV- it will continue with this POV until I say otherwise :P)**

I heard Soda call out that lunch was ready so I headed inside with Dally and Johnny right behind me.

Everyone was eating in the living room since there was enough space for eight people. Darry was sitting in his usual chair; Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit were spread out on the floor along with Tim; Johnny, Dally, and I were on the couch.

We all ate in silence. Normally I wouldn't mind the silence but for some reason this silence was annoying me.

I got up to put my plate in the sink and when I got back I knew I had to say something. So I did. "Okay I have a few things to say. One, Dar I forgive you for what happened. Two, no one could have stopped what happened next. It could have happened anytime. Three, Steve I know you are mad at Darry for hittin' me, but please forgive him. I did and it seems as though it would be harder for me to forgive him. And lastly, I am not opening Curly's letter right now. I probably won't tell you guys anyway. So can we move on?"

I got nods from everyone. Johnny smiled and handed me the book. I sat down and began to read the fourth chapter.

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**YAY! it's done. More review=faster updates before my vaca. Stay Gold**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey so here is the next ****installment of the story. Sorry I took so long. Anyway enjoy.**

**Disclamer: I own nothing except my ideas. S.E. Hinton owns the rest**

**Stay Gold :)**

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**THE PARK WAS ABOUT two blocks square, with a fountain in the middle and a small swimming pool for the little kids. The pool was empty now in the fall, but the fountain was going merrily. Tall elm trees made the park shadowy and dark, and it would have been a good hangout, but we preferred our vacant lot, and the Shepard outfit liked the alleys down by the tracks, so the park was left to lovers and little kids.**

"How did you know that my outfit likes the alleys?" Tim said

"Curly" was all I said in response.

**Nobody was around at two-thirty in the morning, and it was a good place to relax and cool off. I couldn't have got ten much cooler without turning into a popsicle. Johnny snapped up his jeans jacket and flipped up the collar.**

**"Ain't you about to freeze to death, Pony?"**

"Yes and a jacket wouldn't have been helpful in a little bit." I said

**"You ain't a'woofin'," I said, rubbing my bare arms between drags on my cigarette. I started to say something about the film of ice developing on the outer edges of the fountain when a sudden blast from a car horn made us both jump. The blue Mustang was circling the park slowly.**

"The mustang from before if I am correct." Two-Bit said. Johnny and I nodded. He was right.

**Johnny swore under his breath, and I muttered, "What do they want? This is our territory. What are Socs doing this far east?"**

**Johnny shook his head. "I don't know. But I bet they're looking for us. We picked up their girls."**

"That will make a soc mad." Tim said. He had done that before.

**"Oh, glory," I said with a groan, "this is all I need to top off a perfect night" I took one last drag on my weed and ground the stub under my heel. "Want to run for it?"**

"Yes please run for it." Darry said.

**"It's too late now," Johnny said. "Here they come."**

**Five Socs were coming straight at us, and from the way they were staggering I figured they were reeling pickled. That scared me. A cool deadly bluff could sometimes shake them off, but not if they outnumbered you five to two and were drunk. **

"Those cowards. Can't even have a fair fight." Steve said.

**Johnny's hand went to his back pocket and I remembered his switchblade. I wished for that broken bottle. I'd sure show them I could use it if I had to. Johnny was scared to death. I mean it. He was as white as a ghost and his eyes were wild-looking, like the eyes of an animal in a trap. We backed against the fountain and the Socs surrounded us. **

"In hinesight that wasn't a good idea, backing up into the fountain." I said.

**They smelled so heavily of whiskey and English Leather that I almost choked. I wished desperately that Darry and Soda would come along hunting for me. The four of us could handle them easily. **

"Sorry Pony we didn't think to check the park." Soda said.

**But no one was around, and I knew Johnny and I were going to have to fight it out alone. Johnny had a blank, tough look on his face- you'd have had to know him to see the panic in his eyes. I stared at the Socs coolly. Maybe they could scare us to death, but we'd never let them have the satisfaction of knowing it.**

"Ah the way of the greaser." Tim said.

**It was Randy and Bob and three other Socs, and they recognized us. I knew Johnny recognized them; he was watching the moonlight glint off Bob's rings with huge eyes.**

"Wait so Johnny killed the guy who brutally beat him the first time?" Soda asked.

"Yes Soda I did." Johnny said.

**"Hey, whatta ya know?" Bob said a little unsteadily, "here's the little greasers that picked up our girls. Hey, greasers."**

**"You're outa your territory," Johnny warned in a low voice. "You'd better watch it"**

"You tell them Johnnycake." Two-Bit said while smiling.

**Randy swore at us and they stepped in closes. Bob was eyeing Johnny. "Nup, pal, yer the ones who'd better watch it. Next time you want a broad, pick up yer own kind- dirt."**

"Yeah and they don't try to pick up greaser girls every once in a while." Soda said.

**I was getting mad. I was hating them enough to lose my head.**

**"You know what a greaser is?" Bob asked. "White trash with long hair."**

**I felt the blood draining from my face. I've been cussed out and sworn at, but nothing ever hit me like that did. Johnnycake made a kind of gasp and his eyes were smoldering.**

The other greasers in the room looked ready to snap someone's head off.

**"You know what a Soc is?" I said, my voice shaking with rage. "White trash with Mustangs and madras." And then, because I couldn't think of anything bad enough to call them, I spit at them. **

Dally looked at me with pride. He thought I was turning into a great greaser and this just help prove a point.

**Bob shook his head, smiling slowly. "You could use a bath, greaser. And a good working over. And we've got all night to do it. Give the kid a bath, David."**

"Oh no, oh no, oh no." was all you could here from Soda

**I ducked and tried to run for it, but the Soc caught my arm and twisted it behind my back, and shoved my face into the fountain. I fought, but the hand at the back of my neck was strong and I had to hold my breath. I'm dying, I thought, and wondered what was happening to Johnny. I couldn't hold my breath any longer. I fought again desperately but only sucked in water. I'm drowning, I thought, they've gone too far... A red haze filled my mind and I slowly relaxed.**

Soda started hyperventilating. For him it was just awful to hear about the socs almost drowning me.

**The next thing I knew I was lying on the pavement beside the fountain, coughing water and gasping. I lay there weakly, breathing in air and spitting out water. The wind blasted through my soaked sweat shirt and dripping hair. My teeth chattered unceasingly and I couldn't stop them. I finally pushed myself up and leaned back against the fountain, the water running down my face. Then I saw Johnny.**

"Oh god that must not have been pretty." Soda said.

**He was sitting next to me, one elbow on his knee, and staring straight ahead. He was a strange greenish-white, and his eyes were huger than I'd ever seen them.**

**"I killed him," he said slowly. "I killed that boy."**

Johnny looked down and said "I still regret killing him, but if I didn't Pony probably wouldn't be here."

**Bob, the handsome Soc, was lying there in the moon light, doubled up and still. A dark pool was growing from him, spreading slowly over the blue white cement. I looked at Johnny's hand. He was clutching his switchblade, and it was dark to the hilt. My stomach gave a vio lent jump and my blood turned icy.**

**"Johnny," I managed to say, fighting the dizziness, "I think I'm gonna be sick."**

"I don't blame you kid. It's sickening to think about it, but to actually see is just even worse." Steve said.

**"Go ahead," he said in the same steady voice. "I won't look at you."**

**I turned my head and was quietly sick for a minute. Then I leaned back and closed my eyes so I wouldn't see Bob lying there.**

**This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can't be...**

**"You really killed him, huh, Johnny?"**

"No he killed himself. Of course it was Johnny who killed him. I doubt one of his buddies did. Or maybe it was you Pony." Two-bit said earning 7 pillows thrown his way.

**"Yeah." His voice quavered slightly. "I had to. They were drowning you, Pony. They might have killed you. And they had a blade... they were gonna beat me up..."**

"Just like before." Johnny said so quietly only I had heard him.

**"Like..."- I swallowed- "like they did before?"**

**Johnny was quiet for a minute. "Yeah," he said, "like they did before."**

**Johnny told me what had happened: "They ran when I stabbed him. They all ran..."**

"Cowards is what they are." Tim said.

**A panic was rising in me as I listened to Johnny's quiet voice go on and on. "Johnny!" I nearly screamed. "What are we gonna do? They put you in the electric chair for, killing people!" I was shaking. I want a cigarette. I want a cigarette. I want a cigarette. **

"You and cigarettes Ponyboy. You need to cut back on those." Darry said.

**We had smoked our last pack. "I'm scared, Johnny. What are we gonna do?"**

**Johnny jumped up and dragged me up by my sweat shirt. He shook me. "Calm down, Ponyboy. Get ahold of yourself."**

**I hadn't realized I was screaming. I shook loose. "Okay," I said, "I'm okay now."**

'I wasn't' I thought. Johnny seemed to know that too.

**Johnny looked around, slapping his pockets nervously. "We gotta get outa here. Get somewhere. Run away. The police'll be here soon." I was trembling, and it wasn't all from cold. But Johnny, except for the fact that his hands were twitching, looked as cool as Darry ever had. "We'll need money. And maybe a gun. And a plan."**

Dally nodded his head in approval "Godd thinking Johnnycake."

**Money. Maybe a gun? A plan. Where in the world would we get these things?**

"Dallas Winston!" Two-Bit said. I was beginning to think he was drunk.

**"Dally," Johnny said with finality. "Dally'll get us outs here."**

**I heaved a sigh. Why hadn't I thought of that? But I never thought of anything. Dallas Winston could do any thing.**

**"Where can we find him?"**

"Where else would he be." Two-Bit said.

**"I think at Buck Merril's place. There's a party over there tonight. Dally said somethin' about it this afternoon."**

"Yeah go to Bucks and you will definitely find Dallas." Tim said.

**Buck Merril was Dally's rodeo partner. He was the one who'd got Dally the iob as a jockey for the Slash J. Buck raised a few quarter horses, and made most of his money on fixed races and a little bootlegging. I was under strict orders from both Darry and Soda not to get caught within ten miles of his place, which was dandy with me. I didn't like Buck Merril. He was a tall lanky cowboy with blond hair and buckteeth. Or he used to be bucktoothed before he had the front two knocked out in a fight. He was out of it. He dug Hank Williams- how gross can you get?**

"I don't know kid. You got a point there." Steve said.

**Buck answered the door when we knocked, and a roar of cheap music came with him. The clinking of glasses, loud, rough laughter and female giggles, and Hank Williams. It scraped on my raw nerves like sandpaper. A can of beer in one hand, Buck glared down at us. "Whatta ya want?"**

"Ugh Buck." Darry said. I knew he didn't like him as did the rest of the gang.

**"Dally!" Johnny gulped, looking back over his shoulder. "We gotta see Dally."**

**"He's busy," Buck snapped, and someone in his living room yelled "A-ha!" and then "Yee-ha," and the sound of it almost made my nerves snap.**

"I heard that noise too Ponyboy."Johnny said and I could tell he felt the same way as me.

**"Tell him it's Pony and Johnny," I commanded. I knew Buck, and the only way you could get anything from him was to bully him. I guess that's why Dallas could handle him so easily, although Buck was in his mid-twenties and Dally was seventeen. "He'll come."**

"Ha Buck is so easy to control. Bully him and he'll do what you want." Two-Bit said.

**Buck glared at me for a second, then stumbled, off. He was pretty well crocked, which made me apprehensive. If Dally was drunk and in a dangerous mood...**

"Bad things happen. Very bad things." Tim said. He knew all to well what would happen if Dally was in a dangerous mood.

**He appeared in a few minutes, clad only in a pair of low-cut blue jeans, scratching the hair on his chest. He was sober enough, and that surprised me. Maybe he hadn't been there long.**

**"Okay, kids, whatta ya need me for?"**

Johnny smiled he knew Dally would always come if he needed him to.

**As Johnny told him the story, I studied Dally, trying to figure out what there was about this tough-looking hood that a girl like Cherry Valance could love. Towheaded and shifty-eyed, Dally was anything but handsome. Yet in his hard face there was character, pride, and a savage defiance of the world. He could never love Cherry Valance back. It would be a miracle if Dally loved anything. The fight for self-preservation had hardened him beyond caring.**

"Jeez kid stop being so freakin' observant all the time." Dal said.

**He didn't bat an eye when Johnny told him what had happened, only grinned and said "Good for you" when Johnny told how he had knifed the Soc. Finally Johnny finished. "We figured you could get us out if anyone could. I'm sorry we got you away from the party."**

**"Oh, shoot, kid"- Dally glanced contemptuously over his shoulder- "I was in the bedroom."**

"Of course you were." Two-Bit said.

**He suddenly stared at me. "Glory, but your ears can get red, Ponyboy."**

'Yes they can' I thought. It always made feel bad knowing how red they could be.

**I was remembering what usually went on in the bed rooms at Buck's parties. **

"You know this how?" Darry and Soda asked. I shrugged not going to rat out Curly.

**Then Dally grinned in amused realization. "It wasn't anything like that, kid. I was asleep, or tryin' to be, with all this racket. Hank Williams"- he rolled his eyes and added a few adjectives after 'Hank Williams.' **

Everyone in the room groaned at the thought of having to listen to Hank Williams.

**"Me and Shepard had a run-in and I cracked some ribs. I just needed a place to lay over." He rubbed his side ruefully. "Ol' Tim sure can pack a punch. He won't be able to see outa one eye for a week." **

"Worst week ever. Especially living with Angela and Curly." Tim said.

**He looked us over and sighed. "Well, wait a sec and I'll see what I can do about this mess." Then he took a good look at me. "Ponyboy, are you wet?"**

"Well socs did just attempt to drown me so yes I was wet." I said

"I didn't know that now did I." Dally responded.

"Yes you did. I told you everything that happened." Johnny said.

"Then I didn't do a very good job listening did I?" Dally said.

**"Y-y-yes-s," I stammered through chattering teeth.**

**"Glory hallelujah!" He opened the screen door and pulled me in, motioning for Johnny to follow. "You'll die of pneumonia 'fore the cops ever get you."**

"Aw then Johnny would be all alone at the church." Two-Bit said. That earned him seven pillows in the face.

**He half-dragged me into an empty bedroom, swearing at me all the way. "Get that sweat shirt off." He threw a towel at me. "Dry off and wait here. At least Johnny's got his jeans jacket. You ought to know better than to run away in just a sweat shirt, and a wet one at that. Don't you ever use your head?" He sounded so much like Darry that I stared at him. He didn't notice, and left us sitting on the bed.**

"Don't ever compare me to him again." Darry and Dally said.

**Johnny lay back on it. "Wish I had me a weed."**

**My knees were shaking as I finished drying off, sitting there in my jeans.**

"I was freezing and before you say anything Dar, a jacket wouldn't have help at all." I said.

**Dally appeared after a minute. He carefully shut the door. "Here"- he handed us a gun and a roll of bills- "the gun's loaded. For Pete's sake, Johnny, don't point the thing at me. **

The room erupted with laughter at the thought of Johnny pointing a gun at Dallas.

**Here's fifty bucks. That's all I could get out of Merril tonight He's blowin' his loot from that last race."**

"When doesn't he do that?" Tim, Two-bit, and Dally said at the same time.

**You might have thought it was Dally who fixed those races for Buck, being a jockey and all, but it wasn't. The last guy to suggest it lost three teeth. It's the truth. Dally rode the ponies honestly and did his best to win. It was the only thing Dally did honestly.**

"That's sad but true." Johnny said.

**"Pony, do Darry and Sodapop know about this?"**

**I shook my head. Dally sighed. "Boy howdy, I ain't itchin' to be the one to tell Darry and get my head busted."**

"That would not be fun." Tim said. He had seen Darry fight before and never wanted to be on the receiving end of his punches.

**"Then don't tell him," I said. I hated to worry Sodapop, and would have liked to let him know I had gotten this far okay, but I didn't care if Darry worried himself gray-headed. I was too tired to tell myself I was being mean and unreasonable. I convinced myself it wouldn't be fair to make Dally tell him. Darry would beat him to death for giving us the money and the gun and getting us out of town.**

"Yes I would." Darry said while looking slightly unhappy.

**"Here!" Dally handed me a shirt about sixty million sizes too big. **

Johnny started laughing "'sixty million'. Really Pony, really." I shrugged in response.

**"It's Buck's- you an' him ain't exactly the same size, but it's dry." He handed me his worn brown leather jacket with the yellow sheep's-wool lining. "It'll get cold where you're going, but you can't risk being loaded down with blankets."**

"It would have been nice to have blankets, but you're right Dal." Johnny and I said at the same time.

**I started buttoning up the shirt. It about swallowed me. "Hop the three-fifteen freight to Windrixville," Dally instructed. "There's an old abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain. There's a pump in back so don't worry about water. Buy a week's supply of food as soon as you get there- this morning, before the story gets out, and then don't so much as stick your noses out the door. I'll be up there as soon as I think it's clear. Man, I thought New York was the only place I could get mixed up in a murder rap."**

"How did you know that anyway Dal." Tim asked.

"I wanted to know things in case I ever needed to leave town. It came in handy didn't?" Dally simply replied.

**At the word "murder," Johnny made a small noise in his throat and shuddered.**

Johnny and I shuddered at the word "murder". The rest of the gang looke sympathetic and Tim looked uncomfortable being here.

**Dally walked us back to the door, turning off the porch light before we stepped out. "Git goin'!" He messed up Johnny's hair. "Take care, kid," he said softly.**

**"Sure, Dally, thanks." And we ran into the darkness.**

"I was freaked out when you guys were running into the darkness. It was just scary." Dally said. We all stared but kept quiet.

**WE CROUCHED IN THE WEEDS beside the railroad tracks, lis tening to the whistle grow louder. The train slowed to a screaming halt. "Now," whispered Johnny. We ran and pulled ourselves into an open boxcar. We pressed against the side, trying to hold our breath while we listened to the railroad workers walk up and down outside. One poked his head inside, and we froze. But he didn't see us, and the boxcar rattled as the train started up.**

"Now for the longest ride of my life." I said

Johnny snorted and said "Longest ride of _your_ life!? I was awake the whole time. You slept on the train."

**"The first stop'll be Windrixville," Johnny said, laying the gun down gingerly. He shook his head. "I don't see why he gave me this. I couldn't shoot anybody."**

"I wanted you guys to be prepared just in case. I know you could never shoot anyone Johnnycake." Dally said.

**Then for the first time, really, I realized what we were in for. Johnny had killed someone. Quiet, soft-spoken little Johnny, who wouldn't hurt a living thing on purpose, had taken a human life. We were really running away, with the police after us for murder and a loaded gun by our side. I wished we'd asked Dally for a pack of cigarettes...**

**I stretched out and used Johnny's legs for a pillow. **

"Put my legs asleep doing that." Johnny mumbled.

**Curling up, I was thankful for Dally's jacket. It was too big, but it was warm. Not even the rattling of the train could keep me awake, and I went to sleep in a hoodlum's jacket, with a gun lying next to my hand.**

"Why Pony, why? Don't say that I'll think bad things." Soda said.

**I WAS HARDLY AWAKE when Johnny and I leaped off the train into a meadow. Not until I landed in the dew and got a wet shock did I realize what I was doing. **

"I'll say that is one way to wake up in the morning." I said. Soda laughed at me.

**Johnny must have woke me up and told me to jump, but I didn't remember it. We lay in the tall weeds and damp grass, breathing heavily. The dawn was coming. It was lightening the sky in the east and a ray of gold touched the hills. The clouds were pink and meadow larks were singing. This is the country, I thought, half asleep. My dream's come true and I'm in the country.**

Soda and Darry shared a look. They were already planning a trip to the country with the gang.

**"Blast it, Ponyboy"- Johnny was rubbing his legs- "you must have put my legs to sleep. I can't even stand up. I barely got off that train."**

"Sorry again Johnny." I said.

"It's fine Pony. You need sleep." Johnny said.

**"I'm sorry. Why didn't you wake me up?"**

**"That's okay. I didn't want to wake you up until I had to."**

**"Now how do we find Jay Mountain?" I asked Johnny. I was still groggy with sleep and wanted to sleep forever right there in the dew and the dawn.**

"That would have been nice to sleep some more." I said.

"How about sleep in general, huh?" Johnny responded.

**"Go ask someone. The story won't be in the paper yet. Make like a farm boy taking a walk or something."**

Two-Bit started laughing at the thought of me as a farm boy. I have to admit it is pretty funny.

**"I don't look like a farm boy," I said. I suddenly thought of my long hair, combed back, and the slouching stride I used from habit. I looked at Johnny. He didn't look like any farm boy to me. He still reminded me of a lost puppy who had been kicked too often, but for the first time I saw him as a stranger might see him. He looked hard and tough, because of his black T-shirt and his blue jeans and jacket, and because his hair was heavily greased and so long. **

"I like that description best so far Pone." Johnny said.

**I saw how his hair curled behind his ears and I thought: We both need a haircut and some decent clothes. I looked down at my worn, faded blue jeans, my too-big shirt, and Dally's worn-out jacket. They'll know we're hoods the minute they see us, I thought.**

"They didn't probably because it's the country and they don't know what a hood is." I said.

**"I'll have to stay here," Johnny said, rubbing his legs. "You go down the road and ask the first person you see where Jay Mountain is." He winced at the pain in his legs. "Then come back. And for Pete's sake, run a comb through your hair and quit slouching down like a thug."**

"You need to stop walking that way Pone." Darry said. I scowled at him.

**So Johnny had noticed it too. I pulled a comb from my back pocket and combed my hair carefully. "I guess I look okay now, huh, Johnny?"**

**He was studying me. "You know, you look an awful lot like Sodapop, the way you've got your hair and everything. I mean, except your eyes are green."**

I groaned but kept my mouth shut. If I started talking it would take a while to get me to shut up.

**"They ain't green, they're gray," I said, reddening. "And I look about as much like Soda as you do." I got to my feet. "He's good-looking."**

**"Shoot," Johnny said with a grin, "you are, too."**

"Pony you are so be quiet." Johnny said. I kept my mouth shut.

**I climbed over the barbed-wire fence without saying anything else. I could hear Johnny laughing at me, but I didn't care. I went strolling down the red dirt road, hoping my natural color would come back before I met anyone. **

"It did, I think at least." I said.

**I wonder what Darry and Sodapop are doing now, I thought, yawning. Soda had the whole bed to himself for once. I bet Darry's sorry he ever hit me. He'll really get worried when he finds out Johnny and I killed that Soc. Then, for a moment, I pictured Sodapop's face when he heard about it. **

"It couldn't be as bad as the actual thing." Darry said.

**I wish I was home, I thought absently, I wish I was home and still in bed. Maybe I am. Maybe I'm just dreaming...**

"That would be one strange imagination to have. If you had dreamed that than I would make sure you were locked up in a mental hospital." Two-Bit said.

"Really Two-Bit, it gets weirder than that so you have been warned." Ponyboy said with a crazy grin on his face.

Johnny broke out into laughter while Steve moved away from Ponyboy.

**It was only last night that Dally and I had sat down behind those girls at the Nightly Double. Glory, I thought with a bewildering feeling of being rushed, things are happening too quick. Too fast. **

"Too fast?! Are you crazy it was going by so slowly for me!" Soda practically shouted at me. I smiled at him and he calmed down some.

**I figured I couldn't get into any worse trouble than murder. Johnny and I would be hiding for the rest of our lives.**

"Optimistic much?" Steve said. I just shrugged. That week my mind was stranger than normal.

**Nobody but Dally would know where we were, and he couldn't tell anyone because he'd get jailed again for giving us that gun. If Johnny got caught, they'd give him the electric chair, and if they caught me, I'd be sent to a reformatory.**

The gang just stared at me. I ignored the looks they were sending. They were all thinking that I was being crazy.

**I'd heard about reformatories from Curly Shepard and I didn't want to go to one at all. So we'd have to be hermits for the rest of our lives, and never see anyone but Dally. **

"Yeah that would be a bummer. Only seeing Dal." Two-Bit said. He quickly stopped talking when Dally glared at him.

**Maybe I'd never see Darry or Sodapop again. Or even Two-Bit or Steve. I was in the country, but I knew I wasn't going to like it as much as I'd thought I would. There are things worse than being a greaser.**

"Yeah like what Ponyboy?" Dallas said. I just sighed and didn't bother responding.

**I met a sunburned farmer driving a tractor down the road. I waved at him and he stopped.**

**"Could you tell me where Jay Mountain is?" I asked as politely as I could.**

Darry smiled knowing I was being polite to people I didn't know.

**He pointed on down the road. "Follow this road to that big hill over there. That's it. Taking a walk?"**

"Yep just a kid in jeans, giant shirt, a hoods jacket taking a walk." I said.

**"Yessir." I managed to look sheepish. "We're playing army and I'm supposed to report to headquarters there."**

Steve snorted " That's what you came up with, 'playing army'. That is pathetic."

**I can lie so easily that it spooks me sometimes- Soda says it comes from reading so much. But then, Two-Bit lies all the time too, and he never opens a book.**

"True very true. It's all skill Pone." Two-Bit. I rolled my eyes.

**"Boys will be boys," the farmer said with a grin, and I thought dully that he sounded as corn-poney as Hank Williams. **

"Ugh, Hank Williams." Dally said.

**He went on and I walked back to where Johnny was waiting.**

"I started laughing when I saw him coming back." Johnny said.

**WE CLIMBED UP THE ROAD to the church, although it was a lot farther away than it looked. The road got steeper with every step. I was feeling kind of drunk- I always do when I get too sleepy- and my legs got heavier and heavier.**

"That was such a charming walk right Johnny?" I asked sarcastically. He just rolled his eyes in response.

**I guess Johnny was sleepier than I was- he had stayed awake on the train to make sure we got off at the right place. It took us about forty-five minutes to get there. **

"Oh that's a long walk." Darry said. Johnny and I nodded fiercely in response.

**We climbed in a back window. It was a small church, real old and spooky and spiderwebby. It gave me the creeps.**

"I don't blame you Pony. That as one creepy church." Johnny said.

**I'd been in church before. I used to go all the time, even after Mom and Dad were gone. Then one Sunday I talked Soda into coming with Johnny and me. He didn't want to come unless Steve did, and Two-Bit decided he might as well come too. **

"Oh god, this can't be good." Dally groaned.

**Dally was sleeping off a hangover, and Darry was working. When Johnny and I went, we sat in the back, trying to get something out of the sermon and avoiding the people, because we weren't dressed so sharp most of the time. **

Johnny sadly smiled he missed going to church with me and it never made him feel like an outsider.

**Nobody seemed to mind, and Johnny and I really liked to go. But that day... well, Soda can't sit still long enough to enjoy a movie, much less a sermon. It wasn't long before he and Steve and Two-Bit were throwing paper wads at each other and clowning around, and finally Steve dropped a hymn book with a bang- accidentally, of course. **

Darry glared at Steve, Two-Bit, and Soda. They all looked guilty.

**Everyone in the place turned around to look at us, and Johnny and I nearly crawled under the pews. And then Two-Bit waved at them.**

**I hadn't been to church since.**

"Only you Two-Bit, only you." Dally said

**But this church gave me a kind of creepy feeling. What do you call it? Premonition? **

"What does that mean anyway Pony?" Two-Bit asked seriously.

"It means like an early warning for a future event to come." I responded quickly.

**I flopped down on the floor- and immediately decided not to do any more flopping. **

Johnny snorted. "Good idea flopping down on a stone floor in the first place Pone." I couldn't help but smile. Johnny knew how to get me to smile when it came to everything revolving around the church.

**That floor was stone, and hard. Johnny stretched out beside me, resting his head on his arm. I started to say something to him, but I went to sleep before I could get the words out of my mouth. But Johnny didn't notice. He was asleep, too.**

Johnny and I shivered as we remembered that dreadful week we spent living in that church.

"How about we break for a pepsi at the DX?" Darry asked. We all nodded and left making our way to the DX where Soda and Steve work.


End file.
